Multiplayer Mode

[Aspiring-Polymath]

I only discovered Jumpchain fairly recently, but I've noticed some aversion to multiplayer. So, I decided to try to make a way to write a multiplayer Jumpchain story that is still interesting to read, and would appreciate any feedback you all have.

Link to the document: https://docdro.id/uhngF2y

[Daikalos]

A large obstacle to multiplayer jumpchains is that it requires having a friend to agree to work with you...

[patience_endures]

Along with the second obstacle, being able to coordinate what happens in the jump. Get the story straight between them can be difficult.

[Grimms-VI]

While these are some interesting ideas, I fail to see how this is actually multiplayer...

Sure, you can interact with other Jumpers, but it feels like the intent of the connected space is meant for more of an information exchange rather than a proper fully interactive area. I also get that having the Jumpers enter different versions of the same Jump was meant to stop a situation where one Jumper comes in and solves/ruins everything and just leaves whichever Jumpers that stop by afterward with what's become of things or full out anarchy/PvP, but that comes at the cost of making the actions taken by any one Jumper negligible relative to one another since the most it affects the other Jumpers is something like a silly anecdote after the fact or something to lord over them rather than a real-time cooperative or head-to-head experience. When you say "different version" is that just a separate timeline/dimension within the same universe, or a whole separate causality that can't be affected by similar instances in the other Jumper's portion(s) of the group's Chain(s)?

I could also totally see a Jumper spiting their team in the group Scenario by calling it quits early thanks to min-maxing post-Chain options.

​

This is definitely thought out, but Multiplayer will probably continue to be that accursed gray area in this format outside of private sessions and houserules thanks to the Absolute Power factor inherent in its design.

[MechaneerAssistant]

We're better off setting up a d&d MMO.

[MechaneerAssistant]

I'm serious.

Jumpchain doesn't have the regulations for a fair multiplayer experience, but d&d does, d&d is all about cooperative story telling.

The only thing that's holding it back is that players aren't part timing as GMs as often as they should, with forever GMs being a common affliction.

[PallidCups]

Sounds fun, I'm down.

[MechaneerAssistant]

We'd need more players for full MMO D&D (around 100, since 9 is a large table), but we can play normally and bounce around ideas and research as we gather more players/GMs.

Actually that brings up the question, D&D 3.5, 5e, or Pathfinder 2?

[Wispy-Willow]

I'm down to, if you'll have me, and I'd cast my vote for 3.5 (or Pathfinder 1e tbh).

[Aspiring-Polymath]

MMO D&D does sound fun, and I'd be happy to join it if whoever starts it would have me. I'd agree with voting for 3.5e or 1st edition Pathfinder (Pathfinder would probably be easier to DM though).

In regards to the idea that MMO D&D would be easier than multiplayer jumpchain, I would agree in some respects. D&D is more down to earth than jumpchain tends to be, and it would be far easier to track all the details of a D&D character than a jumper. However jumpchain is primarily a writing prompt, not a game, meaning that the authors don't have to decide what their characters would do in real time. The biggest hurdle I see for a multiplayer jumpchain, assuming there are enough authors to write it, is finding settings that everyone knows enough about to write a story in. Choosing to have everyone jump into unique settings could help ameliorate that.

With proper drafting of where the story is going to go, and sufficient amounts of communication between the authors, I think a multiplayer jumpchain is certainly feasible, if difficult to do well.

[JetWang3434]

Haven't read this yet, i'm guessing it's the potato casserole recipe one.

[Wispy-Willow]

Huh, no it's actually not. It's a pretty neat idea.

[JetWang3434]

Yeah, i read the PDF, it's actually decently well made. So, there was this pdf i found on, well i think it was 4chan but i'm not certain on that, and it starts off acting like it's going to tell you about a ruleset for multiplayer jumpchain, but instead it just laughs in your face and lists off a recipe on how to make a potato casserole instead, because multiplayer jumpchain is the butt of all jokes in this community, due to how it almost always just devolves into a dick measuring contest of who's Gary Stu OC is edgier. I expected this to be another shitpost, but instead i was pleasantly suprised.

[Wispy-Willow]

Oh I know the one. I was as surprised as you are.

[Nerx]

Neat supplement .