Actually, whilst I am talking about the storyline...
Some elements of it may appear simiular to the set-up in Reloaded and Revolutions. Not the main plot- that would be silly- but elements of it.
In its defence, the plot was written pre-Reloaded, considerably so! So this is more coincidence than anything else- or like-minded thinking perhaps? Regardless, when Reloaded came out only very minor adjustments were needed and much of the plot fitted in very well indeed- my brother was most pleased!
Anyway, I just wanted people to bear it in mind. If you think it was a plot based on what is seen in Reloaded, that's an illusion! It is based on the original film with slight adjustments post-Reloaded.
We now have:
Burn- Non-philosophy
Ares- Non-philosophy
Hephaestus- Philosophy
Mors- Non-philosophy
Rade- Philosophy
Virus- Philosophy (preferred but not essential)
Coeus- Philosophy
Cloud- Non-philosophy
Fire- Philosophy
Castor- Philosophy
Celsius- Philosophy
7-4 now... Philosophy plotline is somewhat at the limit, I think!
Ok, folks, as you are about to engage with the Storyline, here are some final points!
1. Length.
This storyline for the Matrix is considerably smaller than for my other games. Star Wars was a set of five Episodes each meant to be as 'long', plot wise, as one of the films- and some considerably over-ran (and would have been cut to buggery by GL...). My LOTR game is based on actual Tolkien plots that could technically go on forever, because that man didn't half waffle on in text...
This game, however, is on a far more Matrix scale. The main plotline is probably about the same length as Reloaded/Revolutions. I am not saying it is actively short- because fighting can take a while, as you have seen- but... well.. let me put it like this...
With the slow start due to the faltering nature of the RP area and less pisters taken into account, my Star Wars game has lasted two years (actually been going about 31 months) and it now appraoching the end, at which point I will ask people if they want a new storyline, because more can be done if they want.
I would not be at all surprised if the Matrix storyline reaches that point in six months. Future storylines can always be made if the will is there- for a start, your Oracle predictions won't all be done in this storyline, that would be near impossible, and besides, it would leave your characters without plot hooks! Future storylines might not have a Philosophy path though- that storyline has not been easy to create. Not that there would be NO Philosophy at all, so perhaps it would be more correct to say that both Paths would be done at once in future storylines currently being considered.
But yes, this storyline is not huge, though I hope it is engaging. I would say there are about half a dozen major fight scenes- plus whatever smaller fights you guys get yourselves into!- though admittedly scenes on a very large scale, as there are so many of you! Quite often I will probably split you guys up so, say, 4 of you handle one part of a fight scene at a time, so we have three smaller fights all making up one big fight, to keep things running more smoothly than one apocalyptic uber battle going on every five minutes.
2. Ignorance
It has to be very much borne in mind that, as said before, this game is done from the perspective of the first Matrix film. Nowm, us as human beings have learned a great deal in Reloaded and Revolutions, but this is almost entirely info not available to your characters.
This isn't just obvious stuff about the One, the Architect, the Prophecy and the Cycle of Zion and the Matrix versions. It is smaller things as well. You guys have not heard of the Merovingian. You do not even know there are renegade programmes- as far as you guys are concerned, it is Rebels vs. Machines and nothing else.
The people who get a small get out clause on this are Veterans, who have seen a lot of things over time. But even then, a Vet certainly does not have the scripts to the films to hand. They can say they have heard rumours and talk of programmes who do not seem to serve the Machines, or who ran away from Agents. They might even have seen something that was obviously a Machine but did not fit their agenda (and after all, everyone suspects the Oracle is one such thing). But you would't know what it WAS; a Vet cannot say "Oh yeah! That's a werewolf! Get me some silver bullets!". It doesn't work like that. All in all, best to find out things for yourselves (as, after all, this plot is aiming to be at least somewhat distinct).
3. Style
I cannot enforce style. But it is ALWAYS nice if people play to the style of the films. That should be easy as you are all fans. This is normally about focussing on the small things, which are always a valid part of the role-playing experience. I mean, why bither giving Veterans a Relic? It won't help them beat up things or solve problems. But it is style, and it aids character. These things are just as important as good plot from me, and sensible play from you. So if any of you want to obsess about your shades, your philisophical outlook on life, or that your guns must always be gold-plated, please feel free!
Ok, here is the latest news:
Burn- Non-philosophy
Ares- Non-philosophy
Hephaestus- Philosophy
Mors- Non-philosophy
Rade- Philosophy
Virus- Philosophy (preferred but not essential)
Coeus- Philosophy
Cloud- Non-philosophy
Fire- Philosophy
Castor- Philosophy
Celsius- Philosophy
San- Philosophy
8/4?
UH-OH! WARNING! WARNING!
Ok, it might be nice if a philo switches to combat...