Interest Check: Rabbit Hole - Lit RPG Concept

Inspired by stories like 'Kiss Me First," "Ready Player One," and 'Dream Park."

The time is the mid-2000's. Things have gotten worse in all the ways you'd expect - its a cyberpunk kind of future, just without the extreme cybernetics. Virtual reality is how most people cope with it all, immersing themselves in all manner of simulations to distract, entertain, find community and so on. One of the biggest phenomenon right now is a VR RPG called Rabbit Hole. Rabbit Hole is a multi-genre competitive RPG with persistent characters, character advancement, leaderboards, guilds, etc. Beyond that, it is definitely not your typical MMORPG. There is no persistent world, theme or setting. Players sign up to participate in Events, which have evocative but often ambiguous names, not fully knowing what they can expect to encounter. The goal is to finish the event and score high enough to move up leaderboards and eventually get to the ranks of professional gamers who get paid to stream their adventures. Another thing that makes Rabbit Hole unique is that once a player logs in to a particular event, there are only two ways to leave: complete it, or log out and lose all the 'Carrots' they've spent signing up for it. This has caused some backlash in the non-gamer community as a number of players have actually died in game, having been unwilling to log off before their actual physical bodies gave out. Most of these unfortunates were players from the vast underclass, who lacked the support and/or resources to stay in game for extended periods but were desperate enough to risk their lives to move up on the boards.

In this game, players will take on the roles of aspiring first-level competitive Rabbit Hole players. They will have had at least some experience playing non-ranked games to get familiar with the system and develop their skills, but are now ready to leave the n00b zone and play in Events that will matter and stick with their log -in identity forever. Because the system uses UIN's (Universal Identity Numbers) to establish an account, each player only gets one and there are no alts. While the trappings and equipment a character has will change depending on the event, avatars, player names, and rankings are persistent.

In this game, the characters are fully aware that they are participating in an MMORPG and can bring their meta-knowledge of the game and its systems with them. Players will need to create a bio and backstory for their 'Player,' rather than their character. However, only the character will need to have stats etc. The rules system will need to be flexible and genre-agnostic, and will most likely be either Savage Worlds (SWADE) or Cypher System.

If this sounds intriguing to you, let me know.

The game sounds interesting and I'd like to join!

I have some experience with SWADE and none with Cypher. I could try to learn Cypher if that's what you end up choosing but as of now, I know nothing about it.

This sounds like a very interesting premise.

I am utterly unfamiliar with either system, but Cypher seems more interesting at first glance..

Dark Dream Park !

For those who are interested, the first step would be deciding who you are. Where is your Player from? Why are they going down the Rabbit Hole and chasing the impossible dream of becoming a pro gamer? Are they a poor kid who is hoping to break the cycle of poverty, a middle aged wage slave who just cant take the drudge anymore, a bored rich person with lots of time and money on their hands, or something else? Playing on the competitive circuit, at least past the first few levels, is a commitment and only people who are really driven to make that commitment and all that it entails would even try. What is driving your Player? Unless they're one of the few rich people (and most of them prefer other more exotic diversions the poor can't afford) playing the game and participating in Events costs money they need for other things, like food, shelter, etc., so its a hardship with only a small chance of paying off. They have to really, really want it. Are they just looking for money, or is there another factor - prestige, fame, making a statement, furthering a cause?

Players can come from all over the world, and as you build back story you will also be fleshing out the details of the world our characters come from. Their backstories can also pave the way to introducing side plots and other story elements that can make their way into the game, as well as the 'Game,' if you know what I mean.

Once you know your Player, you can start to think about what type of PC they would create. I think we'll go with Cypher system for the game mechanics, and if you don't have it, there's a free Primer on DriveThru RPG.

I would be interested.

I think my player would be a wheelchair user who goes in to the game for the freedom of movement. Canadian. Will fill in more if accepted.
In games would probably lean toward lightly armoured mobile fighters. 2 weapon or archers.

How about a middle class widow from the midwestern US whose three kids have all grown up and moved away. She never really distinguished herself in life up til now, always putting herself aside to take care of others who have all found other things to do with their lives. Feeling the anger and resentment building, she wants to make a mark somehow. She’ll show them all.

Oooh, I like both of them! I'm starting to get a feel for what drives them. Now that you have sense of what drives your players, you can start to think about how those feelings would affect their decisions about the types of avatars they would create.

Machiabelly, I can totally see where the freedom of movement offered by the Rabbit Hole and the chance to do amazing physical feats would be a big attraction. Was s/he always in a wheel chair, or was that something that happened later in life? Either way works, but it might mean something different to the player.

78, I can see so many things that she might like to prove - to herself and the world. You've got some really interesting choices to make in terms of an avatar. Does she reclaim her youth and beauty and go for the femme fatale type, a more mature wise woman type, or does she have issues with not being taken seriously as a woman and adopt a male avatar just to screw with people's preconceptions about gender?

These are just ideas, but if we think about their Avatars as symbolic creations and expressions of their desires, fears and motivations, the way they choose to present themselves in game becomes a kind of work of art.

He always had health issues. He could walk but a series of medical emergencies put him in a chair earlier in life than he expected.
A combination of a good pension and national healthcare, means he doesn't have to worry too much about money. Not rich, but looked after.

I like the idea of being a rich kid. Someone from the upper class who doesn't have any sort of financial problems in real life but is emotionally neglected by his family and doesn't have many friends. He dedicates a lot of time and money to the Rabbit Hole because he thinks being successful there will make him famous and popular, which is supposed to stand in for his lack of real social life.

For the avatar, I'm imagining it would be something to draw everyone's eyes. Maybe a succubus. Hot, female, very revealing clothes

Oh, this is just getting better and better! Go national health care in Canada - I bet our American friends are pretty jealous. Bowlofspinach - That's a great addition! His resources may make all the difference for the team if they're struggling financially, but it could be awkward with his family if they don't approve of his hobbies. And the avatar is en pointe. That's just awesome! Gonna get a lot of attention there, sweet thang. :)

This is a brilliant setting KaeJae, may I join in if you have room for one more? I'll go for the poor homeless kid trope. He doesn't actually even have his own machine to play, but uses public terminals, wins enough carrots to pay for the login, buy into the next game, and collect meal coupons. It's a life he learnt from his elder brother who supported him and his sister until he died from gaming excess. Now, with only his sister left, he has to learn not to make the same mistake.

Thanks, Bedzone! You are absolutely welcome anytime. I like your concept too, and I can see where that could lead to all sorts of subplots and challenges in Game and out.

It looks like we maybe have four possible Players, and that's a perfect number. I can set up a thread for character creation and all that stuff whenever everybody is ready to go. Let me know, and I'll send out invites etc, but I'll wait until I have at least four confirmations before I start putting it all together.

I'm in

Let’s do it.

Alrighty! Since these are game avatars, I'm wondering whether you're thinking about cycling through different genres for different events, thus opening up plenty of foci options. But I guess we can discuss this during character generation.

I am ready to roll

Ok! This is exciting. I'll set it up and send out the invites. :)

Bedzone: We will absolutely be genre romping, mashing up, and otherwise mixing it up. Each event will be its own discrete episode, including setting, genre tropes, and so on. So in one Event you might be investigating a murder in a present day setting where supernatural powers lurk just outside the perceptions of ordinary mortals, and in the next you could be 'Rocket Rangers of the 25th Century!,' rocking a Buck Rogers vibe. Of course, when you sign up for an Event all you have to go on is the name of the event, you won't know anything about the themes or the objectives until you're in it. Oh, the mystery! ;)

Ah good, that's exactly what I imagined! Can't wait.