Westeros: A Game of Thrones.

Originally Posted by johnhughthom

It'll be good few weeks before it starts, and hopefully I'll get enough player to have a few in every faction so there should be somebody to help you along. Knowledge of the books/series isn't actually required, all the information you need to play will be available to you. Knowing the lore will just make it more fun.

I'd like to know more about it though. For instance, it might be interesting to have a more 'flexible' body of payers taking on the roles of sellswords and hedge knights

Updated example faction role pm for turn one:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I'm not in the game, silly.

Still a WIP, but it shouldn't change much. Character traits come into effect when attempting an action, only the main character can carry out an action, but a vassal can be ordered to carry the actual mission out. For example if Cersei was to order Sandor Clegane to attack a target, her stats would be used with Sandor's bonus applied. Minor characters cannot be used for actions, but their bonuses apply constantly. NPC characters can be given orders, but the results will be out of the player's hands.

I'm as hyped as Pinkie Pie.

So, I've come to a slight roadblock in my plans. Melisandre. How to have her in game without her being overpowered, or totally nerfed. I have a few ideas, which I'm not going to post as I don't want her abilities public, just looking for some other thoughts to consider before I decide.

Is it possible to join if you hadn't read the books? (I'm not much of a fiction reader :S)

Originally Posted by Arjos

Is it possible to join if you hadn't read the books? (I'm not much of a fiction reader :S)

Yes, all the information you need will be given to you.

Just curious, exactly when will this be set. Specifically, will it be

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

before or after Ned is imprisoned/killed?

Originally Posted by Ishmael

Just curious, exactly when will this be set. Specifically, will it be

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

before or after Ned is imprisoned/killed?

That's my other dilemma, I'm open to opinions.

Personally speaking, I think you should set it before that occurrence (trying to avoid spoilers). Otherwise, the Lannisters are a bit too powerful as they essentially control King's Landing, which seems a little unbalanced. Just my 2 cents.

The little I know is from the serie and browsing around, but I agree that with the Lannisters in control of King's Landing is quite unbalanced...

You can also make some "conditional" events: for example, something happens when someone is killed. In this way you can both start the game at the begining of saga, and introduce things that happen later

The most interesting time IMO would be when...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

there is as many kings as possible - Renly, Stannis, Greyjoy, Rob, Joffrey... did I miss someone? There could be also king of people behind the Wall and Deanerys... At this moment control over King's Landing is not as OP as it may seem

As for Melisandre: limited (like, someone of royal blood must sacrifice himself in order for her to get one use of it) assassination ability + limited protection against assassination?

Originally Posted by Jarema

You can also make some "conditional" events: for example, something happens when someone is killed. In this way you can both start the game at the begining of saga, and introduce things that happen later

That's a large part of the game already.

Originally Posted by johnhughthom

That's a large part of the game already.

So how would combat function in this game? Would it just be that the side with the most troops wins, or would external factors such as terrain play a part (for example, would a house like Dorne have a bonus for fighting guerilla actions in their homeland)?

Originally Posted by Ishmael

So how would combat function in this game? Would it just be that the side with the most troops wins, or would external factors such as terrain play a part (for example, would a house like Dorne have a bonus for fighting guerilla actions in their homeland)?

Troop numbers, leadership of the general, terrain, and "other" factors.

Dorne !!!!!

Originally Posted by johnhughthom

That's my other dilemma, I'm open to opinions.

Should be pre John Arrans death.

Hrm I dont think that would be a good idea; if john arryn manages to avoid being assassinated in this game, the entire premise could end up derailed, seeing as his death is the event that starts the whole debacle.
Incidentally; in when it starts.

Originally Posted by Sprig

Should be pre John Arrans death.

That's not an option, the dilemma is more Ned Stark and Renly. 99% sure it will start after Renly has left, not sure whether Stark should have the option to do things differently as it would kind of go against his character. I'm leaning toward just after he has been arrested, which will give the Lannisters the decision to make on what to do with him. Assuming Joff doesn't do something rash...

So can factions assassinate their own family members? Because I think a few Lannisters (read: Tyrion) might want for Joffrey to have an 'accident'....

Originally Posted by Ishmael

So can factions assassinate their own family members? Because I think a few Lannisters (read: Tyrion) might want for Joffrey to have an 'accident'....

Any orders that are blatant (or subtle) attempts to use knowledge from the books/tv series that the characters wouldn't realistically possess might result in, accidents...

Nor will I allow orders that go against characters personalities to an excessive extent, I'll try not to curb player freedom too much, but, for example, having Tyrion try to kill Joffrey would probably see Tyrion run off to whorehouse and spend the entire phase there. Though if Joffrey were to provoke Tyrion sufficiently, perhaps. And I imagine the lad will provoke his uncle...

Originally Posted by johnhughthom

Any orders that are blatant (or subtle) attempts to use knowledge from the books/tv series that the characters wouldn't realistically possess might result in, accidents...

Nor will I allow orders that go against characters personalities to an excessive extent, I'll try not to curb player freedom too much, but, for example, having Tyrion try to kill Joffrey would probably see Tyrion run off to whorehouse and spend the entire phase there. Though if Joffrey were to provoke Tyrion sufficiently, perhaps. And I imagine the lad will provoke his uncle...

As well as everyone else...

so will u play as a faction or as a character?

Benefits to playing as faction:

Don't need as many players
Inactivity not so big an issue

Benefits to playing as individual:

Greater connection with character
Potential for intrigue and betrayal
No need for team agreement on orders

I'm quite sceptical about getting twenty eight players for four players per faction so I'm leaning toward players being a faction, in a faction with more than one player they would act as a team. I'm open to change this with enough players though.

I think playing a character might be very interesting.We should not underestimate how many Orgahs are interested at this book series/ tv series.

I really hope we manage to play as characters, if it ends in inactivy, hopefully we can switch to factions...

Playing as characters would of course be more interesting but I understand the sentiments that make you lean towards teams for the factions.

Originally Posted by johnhughthom

Benefits to playing as faction:

Don't need as many players
Inactivity not so big an issue

Benefits to playing as individual:

Greater connection with character
Potential for intrigue and betrayal
No need for team agreement on orders

I'm quite sceptical about getting twenty eight players for four players per faction so I'm leaning toward players being a faction, in a faction with more than one player they would act as a team. I'm open to change this with enough players though.

you can do a mix? like u say lannister faction can be 4 players each with a tied victory condition but still some room for internal competition and intrigue. so they can be tyrion tywin jaime and cersei.

also i think if u play as a faction inactivity is a bigger issue than with characters. because less players and less factions if one person is inactive a huge part of the game drops out.

Just passing by to signal my interest.

It would be great to get enough people to be able to play specific characters instead of factions.

I would be interested as well. I think with the sucsess of the TV show you´d get your players.
Suggestions:
Honour and Bravery seem fairly close I´d swap Honour with Swordmanship for duels, tournaments etc. and survivability if your side looses a battle ( the Blackfish would manage to fight his way out of a lost Battle but Tyrion probably wouldn´t).
Also I´d give the factionleaders the ability to send in orders for their factionplayers, this way inactivity wouldn´t be such a big problem (also would make the backstabbing even sweeter as the individual players wouldn´t neccesary need to follow orders and could overwrite them. I´d actively recruit for the factionheads and ask for commitment, don´t assign them randomly.