Reclamation Q&A
Dialogue, 2004-08-04

• MMORPGDOT: Reclamation sounds like a role-player's dream come true. How strict will you be about enforcing the community's collaboration, and what rules will be in place to ensure that?

  At the foundation of the game is the following rule, "Stay in character." Reclamation is a true Role Playing game. Upon entering the realm of the city, you have to always remember you are pretending to be your character and leave the outside life of the real world behind. Your character would have no way of knowing sports scores or the latest in music or fashion. So, to protect the environment that all role players are striving for, leave the real world chat outside please. If you must communicate of real world things, please do so in whispers as to not offend anyone and protect the active role playing that is going on around your character. This rule makes it clear from the outset as to what is expected by every player. It is is a simple and easy rule to follow, and we think it provides for a deep and immersive environment.

  As to the « strict » question, we won't penalize you for a slip up here and there, but when it's obvious that either a) a player doesn't understand the idea of in-character, or b) the player understands the the « stay in character » rule, but doesn't respect it, they will be addressed by a game master. If the behavior continues they will be penalized, if it continues after that the player could risk permanent termination.

  We are passionate about role-playing, and will foster an in-character environment in every way possible. For those not so familiar with in-character environments, they will find helpful GMs, players, and reading material that will orient them to the idea of in-character .

• MMORPGDOT: How will the Personality Points system, rewards for excellent Role-Playing, affect game play?

  Spending PPs will allow characters to do spectacular and unique acts. For example, they will be able to advance over and above the normal advancement system, and they will be able to evoke powerful Arts that either they don't have or if they do have them, evoke them at a much more powerful level. Ever need that something extra special to cap of a role-play you've been working? The personality point system offers that and more.

  Granting PPs, provides a direct way for the community to foster other members' role-playing and efforts.

  For more information on this revolutionary system I invite everyone to visit: http://www.reclamationgame.com/230.0.html

• MMORPGDOT: The game being set in a dream world lets you play with reality as much as you want. Is Reclamation a science-fiction, or fantasy-themed world? Could you describe some of the intricacies of the game-world? The dream setting offers a truly interesting and unique world that fosters that sort of play we find creative and immersive. The game will take place in the City of Dreams. The city was created by the Originators and since has been developed by the Awakened. It is a world without physical limitations. A world where skill with your mind is as powerful as skill with a blade. A world where imagination and courage shape your destiny. The city of dreams is contrasted with Cloudsbreak, the shattered world where the mundane lives of the Awakened are played out.

  The theme is primarily fantasy-based. Imagine the fantastic dreams of thousands upon thousands of dreamers of all different societies from the beginning of time to roughly the 1200's, juxtaposed in ways both orderly and chaotic.

  There are many interesting intricacies based on the setting, and I will mention one that is perhaps the most important and affects every dreamer. Two primary philosophies have arisen in the city of dreams, Freesoul and Illuminate. As with all world-affecting philosophies, they have originated from a seemingly simple question. "What affect do actions in the Dreamstate have on Cloudsbreak? » From such a simple beginning, these two philosophies have developed and are infused in every fabric of the Dream. They have shaped the history of the City of Dreams and will continue to shape its future.

• MMORPGDOT: Is Reclamation a skill-based, or experience/level-based game? How does its system stand out from other games'?

  In a way it's a little bit of both. Technically speaking, your attributes, which we call Elements, determine what Arts you have access to. You can increase your elements in two ways, gaining experience or personality point expenditure. There are currently 5 elements. So, you can see start to see the amount of variety as everyone will develop their elements in their own unique ways, and further the levels of elements provide "access" to particular arts. In Reclamation you develop your character primarily through role-playing and interaction with other players. For example, the unique teaching system is a character-to-character system at its heart and through it characters acquire Arts, which are used for all manner of different ways.

  Our primary goal with the character development system is to allow you to develop based on what your character does. Further, you are not locked into any sort of "class." There are areas of concentration we call, Foci, but these are optional.

• MMORPGDOT: How will players write quests for Reclamation? Will they have to submit them to you before they can use it in the game? Will there be an in-game engine that will allow players to quickly create a quest of their own?

  Characters write quests within a variety of mechanisms: Task, Mission Board, Quest Board, though naturally not all quests need to utilize these mechanisms. The tools and mechanisms are in place to allow characters to reward the quests they make. The quests themselves are limited only by the imagination of the quest creator. We feel the most interesting quests are those created and adjudicated by actual human beings acting out through the characters they've developed. This provides a level of immersion and dynamics that is unparalleled.

  For example, a Ruler of a House may create a Mission for a Guardian to discover the secret hide-out of a group that has recently begin to sow discord amongst the House's Initiates. Is this group working for an enemy House? Are they working alone? Is this simply a ruse and a precursor to a rebellion within the House? Etc, etc.

• MMORPGDOT: Reclamation's features list on the official website mentions "Pay-as-you-play monster races". Could you elaborate on what this means exactly? Can players take on the role of some monsters that are generally AI controlled?

  We call these "monsters," Player Mares or Pmares for short. Players have the option of creating a unique Pmare, and playing it anytime they like. Upon entry into the game world the player chooses a form the pmare will take. The forms are based on varying levels of power, with the most powerful being the highest price. Pmares look in some cases exactly like other AI controlled nightmares, but obviously much more intelligent, well usually.

  Pmares are set up in such way as to add to the role-play environment. They offer additional spice and danger for the dreamer populace, and for players they provide an exciting break from the norm. Want to simply get medieval? Play a pmare.

• MMORPGDOT: Reclamation promises that players can play a non-violent role. Since there will be a PvP system, will it also be possible for players to take on evil roles in the game, whether it be violent or not?

  Strictly speaking, there is no "good" and ""evil". Those that share your ideology will tend to be perceived by you as being "good" and vice versa. We believe the Reclamation system allows for the full spectrum of character ideas. For instance, the beauty of the personality point system is that it allows you to reward your enemies as well as your allies. What would a hero be without an archenemy? Additionally, we are dedicated to helping players create characters that work within the Reclamation universe, and have and will continue to provide materials for players in regards to this. One such example is our extensive role-playing guide: http://www.reclamationgame.com/206.0.html