Events have a lot of content in them, both from the Plot-Team-planned side and the Player-Driven side. In an effort to best facilitate the content of events and make sure everyone's on the same page of what they can expect to be going on, Alliance Chicago will be using a color-coded system to indicate to players on an out-of-game level what kind of content is happening for players to engage with at the moment. Similar systems have been used in past, but there are some modifications to how it has been previously done, so please familiarize yourself with how it will be currently implemented:
The Plot Team will display a color-coded object outside of NPC camp that will be clearly visible from the tavern building. During daytime hours, it will be a colored banner, and during nighttime hours, it will be a colored light. Depending on the Color, players are able to discern at a glance what kind of event content is happening and how best to engage with the Plot Team:
Red: If Red is shown, it means that the Plot Team is not currently running content and does not want to be disturbed. Red will mostly be displayed late at night when the Plot Team is sleeping or otherwise done running encounters, or when the Plot Team is in the midst of preparing something important and needs to focus on that. Please wait until the Color changes away from Red if you have things you need to check with Plot about.
Yellow: If Yellow is shown, it means that the Plot Team is currently running some of its planned, scheduled content. This means that the Plot Team is actively sending hooks into town for players and/or there are encounters actively happening. If you feel like nothing is happening and Yellow is shown, don’t worry, it means that new hooks are coming your way shortly! During Yellow times, players may check in with the Plot Team at NPC Camp for small clarifications or to inform them of players’ intentions of things they would like to do in-game, but this is more about getting these endeavors on the Plot Team’s radar than actually pursuing them at that moment. You may have to wait a little bit until you can act on these player-driven requests. A great time to actually do so will be when the color is…
Green: If Green is shown, it means that the Plot Team is open to Player-Driven content! Want to follow up something hooked in your IBGA, pursue an encounter from a Wanted poster in the tavern, or something similar? Green is the perfect time to do it! That said, step one for Green times is that you must check with the Plot Team first regarding whatever you want to pursue in order to ensure that the proper resources are available to run that content for you. There are many encounters that can be run by whoever is available in NPC Camp at the time, but some plot points may require specific resources (specific Plot Members, NPC numbers, props, etc.) to be present. If the proper resources aren’t available at the time for what you want to pursue, Plot will let you know and keep you posted as soon as they become available. Once Plot has confirmed that they are able to run the content you are looking for, then you should gather up your group of attending players while the Plot Team gets prepped. In a general sense, the Plot Team intends there to always be time periods on Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Saturday night when Green is shown.
Green Example: When Green is shown, a player wants to pursue something for a plotline they are interested in. That player swings by NPC Camp and informs Plot of their intentions. It turns out that the plot point they are interested in is something headed up by a specific Plot Team Member and needs that person to run it. If the specific Plot Member is available, NPC Camp gives the player the thumbs-up, tells them to gather up their group and return, and begins preparing the encounter while the player does so.
In short:
Red means “Please don’t disturb Plot, they’re either sleeping or prepping something big.”
Yellow means “Plot is running the encounters it has planned for this time on its schedule. It will be hooked to you, so sit tight and things to engage with will be coming your way.”
Green means “Plot is available to run player-requested encounters, but please check beforehand on what you want to do to make sure Plot has the proper resources to run it.”
The Plot Team will display a color-coded object outside of NPC camp that will be clearly visible from the tavern building. During daytime hours, it will be a colored banner, and during nighttime hours, it will be a colored light. Depending on the Color, players are able to discern at a glance what kind of event content is happening and how best to engage with the Plot Team:
Red: If Red is shown, it means that the Plot Team is not currently running content and does not want to be disturbed. Red will mostly be displayed late at night when the Plot Team is sleeping or otherwise done running encounters, or when the Plot Team is in the midst of preparing something important and needs to focus on that. Please wait until the Color changes away from Red if you have things you need to check with Plot about.
Yellow: If Yellow is shown, it means that the Plot Team is currently running some of its planned, scheduled content. This means that the Plot Team is actively sending hooks into town for players and/or there are encounters actively happening. If you feel like nothing is happening and Yellow is shown, don’t worry, it means that new hooks are coming your way shortly! During Yellow times, players may check in with the Plot Team at NPC Camp for small clarifications or to inform them of players’ intentions of things they would like to do in-game, but this is more about getting these endeavors on the Plot Team’s radar than actually pursuing them at that moment. You may have to wait a little bit until you can act on these player-driven requests. A great time to actually do so will be when the color is…
Green: If Green is shown, it means that the Plot Team is open to Player-Driven content! Want to follow up something hooked in your IBGA, pursue an encounter from a Wanted poster in the tavern, or something similar? Green is the perfect time to do it! That said, step one for Green times is that you must check with the Plot Team first regarding whatever you want to pursue in order to ensure that the proper resources are available to run that content for you. There are many encounters that can be run by whoever is available in NPC Camp at the time, but some plot points may require specific resources (specific Plot Members, NPC numbers, props, etc.) to be present. If the proper resources aren’t available at the time for what you want to pursue, Plot will let you know and keep you posted as soon as they become available. Once Plot has confirmed that they are able to run the content you are looking for, then you should gather up your group of attending players while the Plot Team gets prepped. In a general sense, the Plot Team intends there to always be time periods on Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Saturday night when Green is shown.
Green Example: When Green is shown, a player wants to pursue something for a plotline they are interested in. That player swings by NPC Camp and informs Plot of their intentions. It turns out that the plot point they are interested in is something headed up by a specific Plot Team Member and needs that person to run it. If the specific Plot Member is available, NPC Camp gives the player the thumbs-up, tells them to gather up their group and return, and begins preparing the encounter while the player does so.
In short:
Red means “Please don’t disturb Plot, they’re either sleeping or prepping something big.”
Yellow means “Plot is running the encounters it has planned for this time on its schedule. It will be hooked to you, so sit tight and things to engage with will be coming your way.”
Green means “Plot is available to run player-requested encounters, but please check beforehand on what you want to do to make sure Plot has the proper resources to run it.”