Plot, Continuing from Ideas. Options

[Sparrowsmith]

The closest thing we have to a plot synopsis can be found here: http://www.rpgrevolution.com/forums/index....st&p=557072
but there is still a lot of work to do.

Mainly, we need to work out some characters. Who are they and, more importantly, how do they behave/develop?

We have a few character outlines:
-The 'main' protagonist. The first one to log off the game/one who returns to his original body in layer 3
-The fighter. One of the two members of the group who does not own the game. He is an adept martial artist of some kind and spends his introduction robbing a warehouse for a copy of the game and then saving the 'main' protagonist from a group of monsters.
-The fighter's accomplice. An unwitting ally. Also doesn't have the game.
-The programmer that shoots the Rogue Program
-The programmer that contacts Matryoska (spell fail) might be the same programmer as above
-The Rogue Program (quite developed, but still a little weak in characterization)

We need to develop these, and make some more, then develop them as characters. I'd rather not have us submitting characters, but trying to work out how these people should act according to their situation.
Let's get these characters worked out, nice and logical like. Also, any additional plot points. We gotta work them out too.

We're kind of slowing down here, let's not have that.

[Sparrowsmith]

I'd like to take a crack at the fighter's partner in crime. *slammed with a bo staff for lame pun*
So, this kid, I'm thinking, could be a pyro? As in, he would use a lighter to burn things often or something. I'm thinking that he probably met the fighter one day when he was getting beat up by some bullies in an alley or something and the fighter totally kicked their butts for him. And then later it would turn out that pyro kid sort of deserved the pummeling because he ____(insert some childish reason here)?
But of course, he needs more than just an affinity for burning stuff. Perhaps he could also be a closet bookworm who's totally into all the classics?
At home, I see him mostly watched by his father while his mom is busy pursuing her career in marketing. Most likely he hasn't really gotten into the "looking for a girlfriend" stage quite yet. He'd probably have to be somewhat reliable for the fighter to trust him in their warehouse episode.

Is this the sort of stuff that we should be working towards developing?

It most certainly is.

I like the idea of him being a bit of a pyromaniac, maybe even a rather serious one. It'll help when they set up a campfire later...
This is a good moment to establish flaws as well. The pyro guy could have brought the fight on themselves, but that doesn't really mean it has to be bullying. I can think of a few situations where the Pyro is in a moral grey area.
We'll work that out later.
So the fighter comes to their rescue. It's not just a 'I'll help that person' reaction. The fighter actually wants to try out their fighting skills, and only sides with the Pyro so they can get more action in the fight. They're not a bad person, just likes to practice their skills. This is one of the reasons they (I'm trying to be gender neutral) break into the warehouse later. The fighter wants to practice sneaking around.
So the Fighter is morally grey. They rush into trouble without thinking, and only after do they ask whether they're on the right side. This is something they can work on.
The Pyro, on the other hand, has a habit of bringing trouble on himself. Trouble which he's not too good at fending off. The Pyro has to learn to make decisions for themselves, but for the right reasons. Picking their battles.

Let's see...

There should also be:

- Several programmers trying to help out the heroes (layer 3)
- Extras: Friends and teachers (layer 2), NPC characters (layer 1), extra programmers (layer 3)
- Other party members (layer 1):

Since the main protagonist is leader, it's probably either a straight warrior or a warrior-mage type (hexblade/ druid/ red mage/ paladin/ ranger). Straight wizard types are seldom rpg leaders because they fall too easily, disrupting morale.

A simple party has warrior, healer, wizard, and thief. A more complicated party might have up to 7+ people, and anything from basic classes like thief and cleric to really weird ones like geomancer or a time wizard. Now a balanced party has about even offensive melee, and support classes, so let's say...

(Main Party)
Leader (whatever class we decide, using the notes above, probably a fighter though)
Priest (healing, buffs, and anti-evil)
Wizard (offensive magic)
Thief (multi-hit/steal)
(Backup)
Geomancer (terrain magic, some sorta special system)
Druid (hybrid)/Chronomancer (effect)/Witch (debuff)
Guardian (Uses a shield as a weapon and emphasizes defense skills)
(Haven't Got Game Yet)
Black Belt (not yet joined, multi-hit and can deal damage unarmed)
Other (not yet joined, maybe a pyro wizard?)

We'd need a fairly effective party change system (VX Ace has a very easy one to use), since this game will have a HUGE number of party members.

Also, who's to say the martial artist need be a guy? Maybe it's a tough gal, with the partner along for the ride (sort of, pardon the reference, a Kim Possible dynamic).

This all seems about right, not sure what to make of it yet, but we can apply it as we go.

I kind of like the idea of making the fighter a bruiser girl. It could add a nice dichotomy between her and the Pyro.
On the one hand, the Pyro is infatuated with her because she saved his ass. On the other hand, the Pyro feels kind of emasculated by her because she could quite easily kick his ass.
This kind of explains why he's an unwitting accomplice. He tags along with the fighter because he wants to prove himself, in a manner of speaking.

We should be careful not to make the Pyro too timid, or to make the Fighter too heroic. At the end of the day they are a pyromaniac and a girl who likes to beat people up. They've both got a lot to learn, and have their own strengths and weaknesses in their own way.