Everyone Is John I

[Elenna]

Jane looks around, scrutinizing the mourners. Yeah, that was weird. But really? How does anyone end up buried with a rubber chicken?

Bidding 1 Willpower
Are we supposed to know other people's skills?

[Ramsus]

((Pretty sure we're not supposed to know each other's skills.... unless we want to tell each other? I'm not going to bid, I don't really have any ideas for this scene. I just hope we end up taking the hearse.))

[Penguinator]

(I think I will avoid the bid for now, as well.)

[Indarra]

"Is that our mother? Call out to her! Do something! Let her know we're here and that we love her!"

Bidding 2 willpower.

[Penguinator]

"Is that our mother? Call out to her! Do something! Let her know we're here and that we love her!"

Bidding 2 willpower.

"Are you crazy? She never even liked us."

[Ramsus]

"We could compromise and tell her we love Grey DeLisle?"

[Silent_Interim]

Oof, no. We could tell the wh...orrible bi... we could tell her that we don't love her? I don't know.

[Cyber Punk]

Out of 6 players, 3 have bid, 2 have declined to bid. We need one bid, and one that doesn't cause a tie, before erm... looks like time's up. Let's just go ahead for this round.

"Is that our mother? Call out to her! Do something! Let her know we're here and that we love her!"

Bidding 2 willpower.

Jes (Indaara) wins bid, loses 2 WP.

"MOM!" John calls out to his mother, stepping out of the coffin. "I LOVE YOU!" He screams, then pauses briefly to wonder where that came from. His mother stares back at him, wide-eyed and passes out in a dead faint.

That's when the pandemonium begins. The ones that don't run away just stand there, staring at the miracle that just occurred.

What does John do? (Roll 1d6 dice at the die-rolling thread. 3+ for skills you possess, 6 for skills you don't. You can add extra willpower e.g. 1d6+2)

Player	Name	Willpower
Ramsus	Linzy John	7/7
Elenna	Jane	10/10
Duck999	Gnaw	10/10
Silent_Interim	Dave	10/10
Indarra	Jes	8/10
Penguinator	Lowen Dartmouth	10/10

[Silent_Interim]

Shouldn't that be 8, not 7?

[Indarra]

6+ for skills I do not possess? Or just a d6?

[roll0] Diplomacy check to prevent pandemonium.

(3)
John, controlled by Jes, attempts to calm people down.
"Please! Everyone! Stay calm! I am unarmed and unarmored. I... I should not have said that."
((Well, I didn't roll a one, but it would still be funny if someone attacked.))

[Cyber Punk]

((Oop, I was supposed to respond as John when the voices were talking. While it's not strictly necessary, it does make the game more interesting (albeit at the expense of John's sanity). Sorry about that, y'all. Also, you talk to John, and I control what John says, Indarra. I'll let it slide for this post, as well, he'll say the same thing, like so: ))

John, controlled by Jes, attempts to calm people down. "Please! Everyone! Stay calm! I am unarmed and unarmored!" John says, trying to calm everyone down. However, as everyone can see the combat knife on his belt, they get even less calm. The ones who weren't running begin to run, leaving GreyDeLisle standing still.

She approaches John, a worried look on her face. "You're not going to use that knife, are you?"

(Jes loses control. Bid for control.)

[Ramsus]

I'll bid 0. Wow ok the turns are pretty short then.

[Duck999]

I'll up the ante, bidding 1

[Penguinator]

Not bidding.

Lowen glowered. "Are you trying to get us killed? First you go shooting your mouth off for a woman who never gave two shakes for us, now you're blaring that we're unarmed without bothering to check our belt!"

[Cyber Punk]

"I'm sorry." John screams, putting his head in his hands. Grey thinks she's being spoken to and begins to pat him slowly. "It's okay, John"

(Bidding is for 24-48 hours or until everyone says something.)

[Silent_Interim]

Alright, bidding one.

Ugh, so messy. I can think of several ways to improve the situation. Stick with me and you're in the clear, John.

[Elenna]

Jane sighs in frustration. Well, that was... bad.

[Cyber Punk]

What's with the people bidding 1s? It's highest bidder here!

John just sighs sadly. Well, it can't get any worse, can it?

(( Yes it can, Johnny boy!))

[Ramsus]

Well some of us are bidding 0 likely because there's nothing in this scene that pertains to our goals or likely could even immediately lead to doing so. As such the others don't have to bid very much. Or maybe it's that we all just wish to prolong the experience. Heck, we could probably form some kind of agreement where we stop bidding willpower and simply allow one member control and trade off in a fair manner. Which is I suppose against the intent of the game, although this game seems very much like the intent is up to the players.... well and that John will have a most unusual life.

[Elenna]

Bidding 0 because as Ramsus said, I'm not seeing much here that allows me to achieve my goals.

[Penguinator]

there's nothing in this scene that pertains to our goals or likely could even immediately lead to doing so.

This.

I guess I'm not sure why we're in this scenario if half the players feel that there's no way to achieve their goals.

[Silent_Interim]

It's always good, in my experience, to set the bidding low to start with. Get a feel for the environment. Then you can bid high if you get somewhere good fro your ambition.

Also, can I up my bid to two, since we're tied?

But no, really, John. I'll stand true by you. Just don't listen to these buffoons.

[Cyber Punk]

Everyone, this game won't go anywhere if no one even tries to make an effort. Besides, I failed to mention that there's a park nearby. It's a strange place, a park near a graveyard. There, incentive to get to the park and do something!

I followed Legato's advice and made this game exactly as is, but maybe it's time for me to edit the rules somewhat, make it lighter and less punishing, or something... I saw a game like it on the net once. How'd that be?

[Ramsus]

((I'm not sure it being punishing is actually an issue (at least not yet). A lot of us just seem to have nothing we can do in this situation that's worth the willpower to do.))

"John, get in the hearse already. We can get away from here and do something more interesting. Which would be anything at all really."

[Cyber Punk]

((Sigh. Okay, I give. Let's get out of there. Just this once. Bidding still commencing.))

John gets into the limo, pulling Grey DeLisle with him. Together, they change the location to the Town Square! Here, there are a lot of buildings waiting to be got into, a row of shops waiting for customers, it's basically a busy day! Those that recognize John look on in confusion. Wasn't he the one getting buried?

You are in the parking lot with Grey DeLisle at your side. Is that Chazz Palmentieri that just passed in front of the bookstore? You still have your items.

[Legato Endless]

Spoiler: OOG commentary:

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Well some of us are bidding 0 likely because there's nothing in this scene that pertains to our goals or likely could even immediately lead to doing so.

Bidding 0 because as Ramsus said, I'm not seeing much here that allows me to achieve my goals.

This.I guess I'm not sure why we're in this scenario if half the players feel that there's no way to achieve their goals.

Okay, this perspective might be entirely too analytic. Everyone is John is an improve game, the points are vaguely meaningless. You get obsessions to give you direction, not pigeonhole your interests. Willpower isn't meant to be hoarded, that's why you can spend it in multiple ways. The idea is that you take the initiative and buck and trend with other personalities and John does strange things. John falling asleep isn't there to refresh your economy, it's primarily a punishment for not keeping things interesting. It's also not really a long game in real life, (which is why your willpower feels so low), unless you give people periodic willpower refreshes (such as if the group is having a great time).

If the scene is dull, sure, ask to change it up. But don't stand back and assume the host is going to toss your interests out to you. You've got to spend a little to get somewhere. That's also why it's so hard to succeed on a neutral roll. You're supposed to either spend a bit to up your odds, but make John do something different that plays to your strengths, even if it were unconventional.

Now, you can play the game in a conservative fashion, there's no wrong way to roleplay, but it's definitely a divergent direction than what the game was designed for, as evinced by the mechanical intent.

[Cyber Punk]

Tell 'em, Legato.

I think people are too affected by the Werewolf games of having to jump through hoops in order to get a decent lynch (or something) that they expect that this game should be similar. It's a party game, folks! It's literally described as 'a simple, fun party game for 3 or more people' or alternatively, 'a freeform game for a couple friends with wild imaginations'. A party game I thought would be fun to make a forum game. In fact, I'm going to search the net now for game stories and post it here.

Spoiler: Recommended Reading: Everyone Is John Net Stories/Gameplay (Links)

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• My First Experience with Everyone Is John
• 'Everyone Is John' stories
• Everyone Is John: The TSA Agent
• RPGeek - Everyone Is John
• RPG Review - Everyone Is John
• 1d4chan on Everyone Is John

And goals? You fulfil your obsession, you get closer to winning. How do you expect to do that when you won't even bid?

I've seen all sorts online. There was a game that began in a pond (in a place where no-one could use their skills), and ended with John being shot to death by a SWAT team, shortly after he wrestled a bear to death in front of the white house.

Honestly Legato, would you be willing to help co-narrate? You have more experience with this game than I do, and everyone's unwillingness to bid is making the game unfun, or maybe I'm just cranky. I've been that way all day.

[Ramsus]

You know Silent did up their bid to 2 right? Maybe you should just let us play this the way we happen to feel like and see what happens? If the game is supposed to be improv, that does include the possibility that we won't feel like competing with each other and might want to prolong the experience by placing low bids. It's not like I assumed nobody had anything they could do in the situation, I couldn't think of anything my aspect would care about much in the situation and didn't see any reason to compete with someone who could. I point out, it's not like we complained. You just decided there was a problem because we aren't "playing right", which doesn't seem like a thing there is a right and wrong way to do aside from not participating at all.

[Cyber Punk]

Alls I'm saying is that this game is supposed to be fun, and the important thing is that we all have fun. Sure, there appears to be nothing around that can help achieve your goals, but you shouldn't let that stop you from moving John to a place/position where your goals will be more easily achieved.

Also, can I up my bid to two, since we're tied?

But no, really, John. I'll stand true by you. Just don't listen to these buffoons.

You suuuure can! S.I. wins the bidding match!

"O-okay, what should I do?" John says out loud, looking outside. Grey replies: "Chazz Palmentieri! I always wanted to meet 'im! Let's go in the direction!"

[Silent_Interim]

Good work, John! By listening to me, you've taken a step in the right direction. Now, to start with, you're going to sneak away from here. VERY QUIETLY. Take Grey with you if you want. Actually, before you go, can you ask her why on Earth she was at your funeral? And then sneak away, with or without her. Actually, scratch that, take her with you. Maybe head towards a bookshop. I like bookshops. They're so... peaceful.

(6, and I believe I have an applicable skill here.)