Iron and Blood 2 - Game Thread

[Tee Kay]

I should probably tell you guys now that the continuation of Iron and Blood 2 after this update is, at best, in doubt. Hosting this game has been terribly draining, both in time and energy, for me and, with my returning to university in a little more than a week's time, I'm not sure if I can keep the game running. I do other things, I have other goals in life, and while I'd like to continue IB2 if I can, it's not something that's high on my priorities list.

If this must end, I will keep it going until the current round of wars is concluded. I owe you guys that, at least.

 

[NedimNapoleon]

To make it easier on you TK, I surrender to anyone, so you dont have to do my boring stats and battles, it was a good game and to the Pope, France, Moscow, Istanbul and Hejaz, you were good opponents so congratulations on the winning of the war.

 

[hoplitejoe]

No pressure TK, I don't think you are enjoying GMing this game, and really GMing should be a labour of love.

 

[Terrance888]

Truth.

GM something you enjoy, and no labor is work.

 

[Jehoshua]

To make it easier on you TK, I surrender to anyone, so you dont have to do my boring stats and battles, it was a good game and to the Pope, France, Moscow, Istanbul and Hejaz, you were good opponents so congratulations on the winning of the war.

Time to work out a partition.

Also I agree with the above posts, GMing should not be a burden. Take as much time as you want in posting updates. Time is an illusion

 

[Tee Kay]

Alright, I've decided:

- This update will be the last formal update
- Afterwards, I'll get you guys to send in one last order in the form of a story/roleplay. This can an be as detailed as you want, and would mainly cover the years between 1825 - 1830, though you can speculate on the fates of your country past that date.
- Then, I'll combine your stories to write an epilogue to bring the game to a close in the year 1831, the starting date of the original Iron and Blood game.

kiwitt is currently working on a war-focused Iron and Blood spin-off, so that's something to look out for.

 

[Joecoolyo]

So this is really ending?

Shoot, I was really getting into this one, I put so much work into my diplomacy lol. Hell, I filled up my entire 300 message PM box after the first update in this game. It twas fun while it lasted though.

As for future IOT's, I have an observation tailless. If you plan to do another one, or even restart this one (its a shame to see it go considering it's great rule set, GMing, and world established so far), I really think you should consider doing a smaller version of what we did for IOT V, and by that I mean split up the work. You're giving yourself way too much work to do, what with crunching all the numbers, making detailed updates, and just writing the story of this world. If hired someone to do the number crunching for you, you'd have a massive load off your back and can concentrate on the creative stuff, which IMO you do best.

Please take this advice into consideration for your next venture into the land of GMing an IOT. Although the last collaborative IOT didn't work, I think if you assembled a smaller team it could work perfectly.

Just some of my several 2 cents that are laying around.

 

[Jehoshua]

Let it be done according to thy will.

That said you may wish to see if it is possible to acquire some assistance, this IoT would if it continued be particularly good and it would be unfortunate for it to end. If someone is willing to assist in GMing perhaps the burden can be lightened and it could be continued for a while. Depends on your own considerations though, any decision you make by default is the right one.

 

[Tee Kay]

I've had one volunteer to co-GM back when the game first started. I thought about what Joe suggested; giving stats to the co-GM to manage, while I look after battles and roleplay, but I thought it wouldn't be good to burden Mango Elephant with all the number crunching while I get to do the creative stuff. It just seems unfair. Of course I thought about giving more for Mango (or other co-GMs) to do, but I balked, remembering the experience of IOTV coupled with my desire for a (as much as possible) coherent game world; it's also the reason I didn't call someone else to take over when I realised I'm in trouble. I thought it'd be better to give this game a dignified early end rather than prolong it.

There is, however, another option that I'm looking at now, and that is, keep the game going but in a modified form; remake Iron and Blood 2 into a fully story-based game, getting rid of stats altogether, with light GM involvement, mainly in determining battle/war results, representing the voices of rebels and the internal factions of countries, and acting basically as a kind of chronicler. This would, in a way, be a return to the earliest IOT games. It didn't work then, but I think it's worth a try, now that we've matured as a community. Would you be up for it?

 

[christos200]

Yes.

However, without stats, how are Wars going to be?

 

[Jehoshua]

I would be up for it, although Im wary as to a completely statless IB2, since without them Im not sure how states can be differentiated to determine results.

Perhaps if your unwilling to have a co-GM (still on option, you could always do a rotation in regards to number crunching/stories, with you editting your co-pm's stories to keep consistency if need be) you could see about ways to minimise the work you do which keep stats, but keep the workload to a minimum. That said thoug, I am willing to go for what your propose if you feel its the only way forward

 

[Tee Kay]

However, without stats, how are Wars going to be?

I guess I'd determine them from war plans, like the sort you've been sending with your orders these past couple of turns. To make it fairer, I'll do this with Mango if he comes on board, and another co-GM (by the way, I'm calling for volunteers).

 

[Tee Kay]

New plan: this update will still be the last formal update. Afterwards, however, this game might continue in a new story-focused form.

Iron and Blood 2 still lives.

 

[Sonereal]

I guess I'd determine them from war plans, like the sort you've been sending with your orders these past couple of turns. To make it fairer, I'll do this with Mango if he comes on board, and another co-GM (by the way, I'm calling for volunteers).

Judging war plans? Sure, why not? I'm in if you'd allow.

 

[Tee Kay]

I've sent PMs to three other people. If they accept, then we have a Council of Five.

 

[christos200]

I guess I'd determine them from war plans, like the sort you've been sending with your orders these past couple of turns. To make it fairer, I'll do this with Mango if he comes on board, and another co-GM (by the way, I'm calling for volunteers).

But wouldnt that be unfair for people who dont have the time to send a whole complex war plan?

Also when you say that IB2 will restart in a new story-focused form, what do you mean? It will be like a NES?

 

[Tyo]

No. People in the original had a better chance of winning if they made a detailed plan in the original ruleset. This makes it a bit deciding, but it's the same idea.

He means that progress of your nation is based completely on what you write.

 

[Sonereal]

But wouldnt that be unfair for people who dont have the time to send a whole complex war plan?

It isn't any different from the base game from that regard. Complex war plans have always been rewarded in IB.

If anything, TK, can you at least include a stability mechanic (1-10, something like Capto Iuglum)? That would make RP more varied than RPing a utopic nation-state where rebels are caught and found at every turn and yadayadayada.

 

[Tee Kay]

RPing a utopic nation-state where rebels are caught and found at every turn and yadayadayada.

Oh no, no, that's not what I had in mind. There will still be some game mechanics like stability; just no hard stats.

 

[Joecoolyo]

This is kind of cross-posting-ish, but whatever, I wanted to respond

I've had one volunteer to co-GM back when the game first started. I thought about what Joe suggested; giving stats to the co-GM to manage, while I look after battles and roleplay, but I thought it wouldn't be good to burden Mango Elephant with all the number crunching while I get to do the creative stuff. It just seems unfair. Of course I thought about giving more for Mango (or other co-GMs) to do, but I balked, remembering the experience of IOTV coupled with my desire for a (as much as possible) coherent game world; it's also the reason I didn't call someone else to take over when I realised I'm in trouble. I thought it'd be better to give this game a dignified early end rather than prolong it.

Well, I don't think it would be too much a burden if you found someone willing to do the numbers for you, well knowing that they'll take the brunt of the work while you get to figure out RP and roleplay.

As for IOTV experience, I think the team we assembled there was simply too large, and not, as you said, coherent enough, if you just took like maybe one or two more people to split up the work (which is seems like you're doing) then I think it wouldn't end up the way V did.

There is, however, another option that I'm looking at now, and that is, keep the game going but in a modified form; remake Iron and Blood 2 into a fully story-based game, getting rid of stats altogether, with light GM involvement, mainly in determining battle/war results, representing the voices of rebels and the internal factions of countries, and acting basically as a kind of chronicler. This would, in a way, be a return to the earliest IOT games. It didn't work then, but I think it's worth a try, now that we've matured as a community. Would you be up for it?

Count me in! Though I think if we go story based, we're going to need heavy GM involvement as opposed to light, to keep the world in order and prevent power-gaming and unrealistic scenarios; as well as present scenarios for nations of the world to challenge and respond to.

New plan: this update will still be the last formal update. Afterwards, however, this game might continue in a new story-focused form.

Iron and Blood 2 still lives.

Three cheers! Hip hip huzzah!