Sentinel Gate design - Revision history

Twiggy at 13:52, 27 January 2026

2026-01-27T13:52:41Z

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	==Avoid NPC only abilities==		==Avoid NPC only abilities==
	The IC rationale of the Gate is, in effect, that it is predetermined by the stars, not by any mortal or sentient agency.		The IC rationale of the Gate is, in effect, that it is predetermined by the stars, not by any mortal or sentient agency.
	Players have the widest possible remit to take advantage of the opportunities - but since the Gate operates according to an OOC ~~logisticial~~ timetable - - they do not have the IC ability change the nature of the opportunities.		Players have the widest possible remit to take advantage of the opportunities - but since the Gate operates according to an OOC logistical timetable - - they do not have the IC ability change the nature of the opportunities.

	However we don't want players to feel that the gate is controlled by another "higher power", because that power would overshadow the players and make them feel less important by comparison. There is no ''practical'' difference between claiming that the stars determine the conjunctions and saying that the conjunctions are set by a god or similar character. But the stylistic differences are significant - players are less likely to feel overshadowed by the sun and the moon.		However we don't want players to feel that the gate is controlled by another "higher power", because that power would overshadow the players and make them feel less important by comparison. There is no ''practical'' difference between claiming that the stars determine the conjunctions and saying that the conjunctions are set by a god or similar character. But the stylistic differences are significant - players are less likely to feel overshadowed by the sun and the moon.

Hailmur: /* The Return Gate Closes */

2026-01-27T12:22:30Z

The Return Gate Closes

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:22, 27 January 2026
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	==The Return Gate Closes==		==The Return Gate Closes==
	The opportunity to return through the gate expires after a predetermined time. ~~Once~~ the ~~appointed duration allocated by~~ the ~~plot actuation team expires then returning via~~ the ~~Gate becomes increasingly dangerous~~ - ~~simulated through distribution~~ of ~~magical traumatic wounds~~.		The opportunity to return through the gate expires after a predetermined time. We have limited resources to simulate the world outside Anvil, we have limited time, limited crew and limited space. This means that a quest, skirmish or battle can only run for a certain length of time before the resources it is consuming would be better spent elsewhere. To create the IC urgency needed to satisfy this basic out-of-character requirement, we have set limits on how long the players can remain away from Anvil.

	We have ~~limited resources~~ to ~~simulate the world outside Anvil~~, we have ~~limited~~ time, ~~limited crew and limited space~~. ~~This means that~~ a ~~quest~~, ~~skirmish or battle can only run for~~ a ~~certain length of time, before the resources it is consuming would be better spent elsewhere. To create the~~ IC ~~urgency needed~~ to ~~satisfy this basic out-~~of~~-character requirement, we have set limits on how long~~ the ~~players can remain away from Anvil~~.		We want players to know how long they have to complete their quest, skirmish or battle - but because their characters are motivated by IC reasons, we want them to have an IC reason why they must return once their allotted time expires, even if they have not succeeded. The in-character risks inherent in remaining too long are not intended to be a credible threat to a character's survival, but rather to present a player with an IC justification they can use to justify accommodating the limits of the quest.

	We want players to ~~know~~ how long ~~they have to complete their quest,~~ skirmish ~~or battle -~~ but ~~because their characters~~ are ~~motivated~~ by ~~IC reasons, we want them~~ to have ~~an IC reason why must return once~~ their ~~allotted time expires, even if they have not succeeded. The in-character risks inherent in remaining too long are not intended to be a credible threat~~ to ~~a character's survival, but rather to present a player with an IC justification they can use to justify accommodating the limits of~~ the ~~quest~~.		As far as possible, we want to avoid players becoming trapped away from Anvil. Therefore, we want anyone who passes through a gate to be aware of ''approximately'' how long remains before the gate closes by asking a referee. Players who remain behind after a battle or skirmish ends but who are not captured by the enemy are assumed to have made their way back to the portal and snuck through.

	As far as possible, we want to avoid players becoming trapped away from Anvil. Therefore we want anyone who passes through a gate to be aware of ''approximately'' how long remains before the gate closes by asking a referee. Players who remain behind after a battle or skirmish ends but who are not captured by orcs are assumed to have made their way back to the portal and snuck through. They should see a ref and receive an appropriate magical traumatic wound to represent the dangers of their dangerous return.		If players are on a quest and are simply refusing to return to Anvil within the duration allotted to them, then the referee is instructed to give them a few minutes at most to complete what they are doing. If it is clear that they are not returning, they will then time-out the area. Ideally, our plot will avoid situations where this outcome is likely - for instance, NPCs can be briefed to leave an area after half-an-hour. Quests should, where possible, succeed or fail within the allotted duration in a way that is obvious to everyone who is taking part. But if this can't happen and the players absolutely refuse to accept that the time available to complete a quest has expired, then the referee needs a basis to intervene.

	If players are on a quest and are simply refusing to return to Anvil within the duration allotted to them, then the referee ~~are~~ instructed to give them a few minutes at most to complete what they are doing. If it is clear that they are not returning, they will then time-out the area. Ideally our plot will avoid situations where this outcome is likely - for instance NPCs can be briefed to leave an area after half-an-hour. Quests should, where possible, succeed or fail within the allotted duration in a way that is obvious to everyone who is taking part. But if this can't happen and the players absolutely refuse to accept that the time available to complete a quest has expired, then the referee needs a basis to intervene.

	==Anyone may go==		==Anyone may go==

Twiggy at 01:27, 7 August 2025

2025-08-07T01:27:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:27, 7 August 2025
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	==In the Appointed Number==		==In the Appointed Number==
	To ~~minimize~~ the situations where there are more players than a plot can involve, the number of people who can go on a quest is set in advance. This forms part of the immutable rules of the Gate, like the destination and the time of departure. For skirmishes and battles, the number who can go through is not fixed, but the number of nations that can go is specified. There are no in-character mechanisms that exist in the game world to vary these details.		To minimise the situations where there are more players than a plot can involve, the number of people who can go on a quest is set in advance. This forms part of the immutable rules of the Gate, like the destination and the time of departure. For skirmishes and battles, the number who can go through is not fixed, but the number of nations that can go is specified. There are no in-character mechanisms that exist in the game world to vary these details.

	When we create a battle, skirmish or quest, we want the expedition to be challenging to those who go. While a purely simulationist approach might imply that many expeditions should be a walk-over while others would be utterly impossible due to the overwhelming odds - in practice this would be equally unsatisfying for players and writers. The laws of narrative apply - we only have a weekend of play - so we need to try and ensure that the hours of the weekend are as engaging as we can make them. This can be very difficult however if the players have no indication of how many people a quest, skirmish or battle might require - and we have no indication of how many may go.		When we create a battle, skirmish or quest, we want the expedition to be challenging to those who go. While a purely simulationist approach might imply that many expeditions should be a walk-over while others would be utterly impossible due to the overwhelming odds - in practice this would be equally unsatisfying for players and writers. The laws of narrative apply - we only have a weekend of play - so we need to try and ensure that the hours of the weekend are as engaging as we can make them. This can be very difficult however if the players have no indication of how many people a quest, skirmish or battle might require - and we have no indication of how many may go.

Rafferty at 13:57, 5 August 2021

2021-08-05T13:57:26Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:57, 5 August 2021
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	[[Category:Sentinel Gate]][[Category:Game Design]]		[[Category:Sentinel Gate]][[Category:Game Design]]
	==Overview==		==Overview==
	The [[Sentinel Gate]] is an essential part of the Empire game design - it allows us to combine a political game centred on Anvil with battles against the Empire's enemies on ~~the~~ borders. as well as using the entire Empire for quests. Because the Gate has such a significant out-of-character role in enabling the game, inevitably the mechanics that drive it are primarily driven by those requirements.		The [[Sentinel Gate]] is an essential part of the Empire game design - it allows us to combine a political game centred on Anvil with battles against the Empire's enemies on their borders. as well as using the entire Empire for quests. Because the Gate has such a significant out-of-character role in enabling the game, inevitably the mechanics that drive it are primarily driven by those requirements.

	==Core Design Criteria==		==Core Design Criteria==

Rafferty at 13:48, 5 August 2021

2021-08-05T13:48:38Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:48, 5 August 2021
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	[[Category:Sentinel Gate]][[Category:Game Design]]		[[Category:Sentinel Gate]][[Category:Game Design]]
	==Overview==		==Overview==
	The [[Sentinel Gate]] is an essential part of the Empire game design - it allows us to combine a political game centred on Anvil with battles against the Empire's enemies on ~~her~~ borders. as well as using the entire Empire for quests. Because the Gate has such a significant out-of-character role in enabling the game, inevitably the mechanics that drive it are primarily driven by those requirements.		The [[Sentinel Gate]] is an essential part of the Empire game design - it allows us to combine a political game centred on Anvil with battles against the Empire's enemies on the borders. as well as using the entire Empire for quests. Because the Gate has such a significant out-of-character role in enabling the game, inevitably the mechanics that drive it are primarily driven by those requirements.

	==Core Design Criteria==		==Core Design Criteria==

Rafferty: /* Avoid NPC only abilities */

2019-10-06T14:45:03Z

Avoid NPC only abilities

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:45, 6 October 2019
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	Our civil servants may be able to do this for the players - and we want to incentivize the players to involve the [[Egregores\|Egregore]] as it is part of these NPCs' remit to try to add to the drama of the event - but they can easily do it themselves. This avoids the need for special NPC only abilities and also allows the potential for players to go on missions without the approval of the civil service if that fits the plot and their characterisation. There is an implicit resource tax involved in this, the cost to detect a conjunction and to operate the portal - but it is not dear.		Our civil servants may be able to do this for the players - and we want to incentivize the players to involve the [[Egregores\|Egregore]] as it is part of these NPCs' remit to try to add to the drama of the event - but they can easily do it themselves. This avoids the need for special NPC only abilities and also allows the potential for players to go on missions without the approval of the civil service if that fits the plot and their characterisation. There is an implicit resource tax involved in this, the cost to detect a conjunction and to operate the portal - but it is not dear.
			==Further Reading==
			* [[Sentinel Gate]] - in-character review of the Sentinel Gate.
			* [[Conjunctions]] - advice for preparing for conjunctions
			* [[Anomalous conjunctions]] - a [[Historical research]] report regarding anomalous conjunctions, specifically the one involved in the death of [[Empress Britta]].

Rafferty at 14:27, 6 October 2019

2019-10-06T14:27:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:27, 6 October 2019
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			[[Category:Sentinel Gate]][[Category:Game Design]]
	==Overview==		==Overview==
	The [[Sentinel Gate]] is an essential part of the Empire game design - it allows us to combine a political game centred on Anvil with battles against the Empire's enemies on her borders. as well as using the entire Empire for quests. Because the Gate has such a significant out-of-character role in enabling the game, inevitably the mechanics that drive it are primarily driven by those requirements.		The [[Sentinel Gate]] is an essential part of the Empire game design - it allows us to combine a political game centred on Anvil with battles against the Empire's enemies on her borders. as well as using the entire Empire for quests. Because the Gate has such a significant out-of-character role in enabling the game, inevitably the mechanics that drive it are primarily driven by those requirements.
Line 84:		Line 85:

	Our civil servants may be able to do this for the players - and we want to incentivize the players to involve the [[Egregores\|Egregore]] as it is part of these NPCs' remit to try to add to the drama of the event - but they can easily do it themselves. This avoids the need for special NPC only abilities and also allows the potential for players to go on missions without the approval of the civil service if that fits the plot and their characterisation. There is an implicit resource tax involved in this, the cost to detect a conjunction and to operate the portal - but it is not dear.		Our civil servants may be able to do this for the players - and we want to incentivize the players to involve the [[Egregores\|Egregore]] as it is part of these NPCs' remit to try to add to the drama of the event - but they can easily do it themselves. This avoids the need for special NPC only abilities and also allows the potential for players to go on missions without the approval of the civil service if that fits the plot and their characterisation. There is an implicit resource tax involved in this, the cost to detect a conjunction and to operate the portal - but it is not dear.
	~~[[Category:Game Design]]~~

Dre at 20:38, 18 September 2015

2015-09-18T20:38:42Z

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	The Gate can only be used at "predestined" times. These opportunities reflect the plot we have prepared for the weekend and the plot actuation schedule that has been created to run that plot. Because the destination and time of departure have been set for OOC reasons - they can be moved for OOC reasons - but there is no IC mechanism the players can employ to change the OOC game schedule.		The Gate can only be used at "predestined" times. These opportunities reflect the plot we have prepared for the weekend and the plot actuation schedule that has been created to run that plot. Because the destination and time of departure have been set for OOC reasons - they can be moved for OOC reasons - but there is no IC mechanism the players can employ to change the OOC game schedule.

	The purpose of the Gate in the game is to allow for an enormous range of plot that would otherwise be impossible. If players cannot travel to the battlefront - they cannot actively participate in the war between the Empire and ~~it's~~ enemies. The Gate justifies swift travel around the Empire allowing us to run battles involving players as well as having the broadest possible scope of plot that we can run.		The purpose of the Gate in the game is to allow for an enormous range of plot that would otherwise be impossible. If players cannot travel to the battlefront - they cannot actively participate in the war between the Empire and its enemies. The Gate justifies swift travel around the Empire allowing us to run battles involving players as well as having the broadest possible scope of plot that we can run.

	In theory we could allow players to travel to a location we have not prepared any plot for and then throw a random fight at them or simply say "nothing happens", but there are many potential flaws with this approach. It is likely to be an underwhelming and disappointing experience by anyone expecting something to happen. This is especially true if characters have committed time or expendable resources to an expedition that cannot succeed because it does not exist. It can also create continuity errors, with mistakes on plot actuation resulting in players being told nothing is happening in an area when other plot indicates there is. For all these reasons we have chosen to implement a very simply rule - if the plot isn't prepared and timetabled for that moment - ''then the Gate cannot be used to go there''.		In theory we could allow players to travel to a location we have not prepared any plot for and then throw a random fight at them or simply say "nothing happens", but there are many potential flaws with this approach. It is likely to be an underwhelming and disappointing experience by anyone expecting something to happen. This is especially true if characters have committed time or expendable resources to an expedition that cannot succeed because it does not exist. It can also create continuity errors, with mistakes on plot actuation resulting in players being told nothing is happening in an area when other plot indicates there is. For all these reasons we have chosen to implement a very simply rule - if the plot isn't prepared and timetabled for that moment - ''then the Gate cannot be used to go there''.

Splitter: /* The Gate is for players */

2015-08-08T22:29:39Z

The Gate is for players

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:29, 8 August 2015
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	==The Gate is for players==		==The Gate is for players==
	It is not possible for players to use rituals or call on aid from eternals send additional fighting power on quests, skirmishes or battles. There are rituals and Eternal powers in Empire that allow players to create additional troops for use in the downtime campaign, but these ~~creates~~ cannot pass through the Gate.		It is not possible for players to use rituals or call on aid from eternals send additional fighting power on quests, skirmishes or battles. There are rituals and Eternal powers in Empire that allow players to create additional troops for use in the downtime campaign, but these creatures cannot pass through the Gate.

	If this was allowed to happen we would need to phys-rep the NPC monsters who were going to fight alongside the players. This would diminish the resources we had available to fight against the players. More importantly, it would also create an enjoyable iconic role... ''that was being played by an NPC''. To stop this happening, summoned creatures such as husks or minotaurs, cannot go through the Gate. This ensures that the pivotal individuals who pass through the Gate are players.		If this was allowed to happen we would need to phys-rep the NPC monsters who were going to fight alongside the players. This would diminish the resources we had available to fight against the players. More importantly, it would also create an enjoyable iconic role... ''that was being played by an NPC''. To stop this happening, summoned creatures such as husks or minotaurs, cannot go through the Gate. This ensures that the pivotal individuals who pass through the Gate are players.

Jamiew at 22:27, 15 February 2015

2015-02-15T22:27:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:27, 15 February 2015
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	So as far as humanly possible we want to avoid special NPC only abilities - although we have to have control over when the Gate can be used for logistical reasons, (what time it can be opened, how many can go through and to where) - we don't need to have control over how the Gate is opened, or who opens it. The design for the Gate avoids deliberately eschews NPC control by having the limitations on its use set by fate - the stars control under what circumstances the Gate can be used - but actual implementation and use can be done by any player with the appropriate skills. Likewise any player magician can find out if a conjunction exists.		So as far as humanly possible we want to avoid special NPC only abilities - although we have to have control over when the Gate can be used for logistical reasons, (what time it can be opened, how many can go through and to where) - we don't need to have control over how the Gate is opened, or who opens it. The design for the Gate avoids deliberately eschews NPC control by having the limitations on its use set by fate - the stars control under what circumstances the Gate can be used - but actual implementation and use can be done by any player with the appropriate skills. Likewise any player magician can find out if a conjunction exists.

	Our civil servants may be able to do this for the players - and we want to incentivize the players to involve the ~~egregore~~ as it is part of these NPCs' remit to try to add to the drama of the event - but they can easily do it themselves. This avoids the need for special NPC only abilities and also allows the potential for players to go on missions without the approval of the civil service if that fits the plot and their characterisation. There is an implicit resource tax involved in this, the cost to detect a conjunction and to operate the portal - but it is not dear.		Our civil servants may be able to do this for the players - and we want to incentivize the players to involve the [[Egregores\|Egregore]] as it is part of these NPCs' remit to try to add to the drama of the event - but they can easily do it themselves. This avoids the need for special NPC only abilities and also allows the potential for players to go on missions without the approval of the civil service if that fits the plot and their characterisation. There is an implicit resource tax involved in this, the cost to detect a conjunction and to operate the portal - but it is not dear.
	[[Category:Game Design]]		[[Category:Game Design]]