Path of the Vampire forum

I'm a little at a loss as to what has prompted this RPP getting axed logic… In fact, I'm a little lost as to the vision you have for this forum, David. Last year, you posted a topic titled Path Roleplay Focus in which you outlined your ideas to make this forum more roleplay friendly and focused—including the increase cap on RPP Levels. There have been a few changes since, though most remain grid-centric.

Amongst the roleplay-centric changes you've made, there's been the loot drops which tie us back into the grid. There has also been the implementation of the Storyteller system, which has the potential to greatly facilitate forum posting for chat-based roleplayers. It is still buggy, and doesn't actually offer the same level of customisation that many people tend towards. A minority actually seem to be using it, in spite of there being a lot of chat-based roleplay happening and being posted. Which is a shame, because it's a fabulous system that should be used to its full potential. From your original list, there's also been the creation of the GM group, which hasn't been particularly successful beyond Doc's amazing job with the May GM. We were told there'd be a Chapter instead of a July-August GM, but it's now the end of August and no one knows what's going on...

This week has been fantastic because it's brought people back, gotten them excited. It's incentivised people into creating stories, bridging across comfort zones, and makes the forum far more attractive to newcomers looking for an active roleplay site. This is why I suggested what I did on Megan's account, to keep giving it steam and foster more activity and creativity. But somehow, in the course of twenty-four hours, it's gone from you agreeing it's a good idea to wanting to remove RPP altogether?

To remove RPP just seems like another grid-centric change that moves us away from empowering roleplayers. It's a change that no one has actually asked for... and which seems to further fudge the line between gamer and roleplayers, which people have made very clear they want to maintain. I like curses. I like powers. And the people before me, like Amalea's player, have worded it perfectly as to why. In fact, many people have commented on the need for more curses and powers, and the need for RPP incentives to get more underrepresented groups playing. I think it's very telling that people are wiling to invest that much in something that has no grid application. And if they don't want to use that towards curses and powers? They can exchange it!

I'm excited about many of your upcoming projects, but looking at that list, there's no denying the vast majority of changes remain grid-based that hold no promise of Path becoming more roleplay-centric. And removing RPP? It has more potential to turn people away from engaging roleplay, like The Master's player pointed out.

Edited: I had written June-July, when it was July-August. Thanks Amalea for pointing that out. Sorry about that!