FAQ 10

Playing X-Project

Character Development

Does my character have to stay at the same power level? What about powers development?

Powers development is encouraged, especially in areas steering away from comics canon into more 'realistic' forms. Your plans for developing a power should be in your application, and any significant change in a power level or application must be run past the mods before appearing on-screen, as per the game policy. Again, if you seek to have your character become too powerful, you will be asked to limit it in some way, or create some reason why the development isn't used all the time. Overload is a popular 'brake' on powers, for example.

Red X

What is Red X?

Red X is an initiative by the Red Cross to encourage mutants to train and use their powers for disaster relief and humantarian aid projects. Xavier's was approached specifically, as it was known to be the premier educator of young mutants. It was created in 2004, and is a national program, recruiting teens and young people predominantly.

What does Red X do?

Red X mostly deals with disaster relief - in the aftermath of a natural (or unnatural) disaster, members attend at the location and do what they can to help, be it clearing wreckage, transporting victims, providing heat, power and water as needed... The concept gives student characters too young to be X-Men trainees or those characters who aren't interested in a team, a chance to go out and use their powers in a more active manner.

How does my character join?

There are induction and training sessions at the mansion the last Friday of every month. Simply have your character sign up there, or you can have them join in on a plot and undergo the training later.

My character is an X-Man. Is it okay for them to go on Red X missions?

Yes, for open call missions. There are some missions that are closed, for the younger characters in order to spread the action-scene love, but those are rare. Players are asked to keep in mind over-exposure of their characters, however, and to make plot participation choices accordingly.

Who makes the plots?

Anyone can pitch a Red X plot. It's recommended that people check the previous Red X plots to avoid too much overlap with concepts, but otherwise, it's free reign. Generally, plot ideas are discussed on XPP, and once something specific is agreed on, someone volunteers to write things up, submit it to the mods and run the plot.

What else do I need to know?

Regular training is necessary for Red X volunteers under the age of 18, covering first aid, search and rescue techniques, communications and so on. This training takes place at the school once a month. Field Leader training is available for members once they reach 17 and consists of either a summer-long intensive training course, or a weekly training over six months, to allow for schooling. This training takes place at the Red Cross offices in New York.

Participation on a case-by-case basis is possible for those who have been members in the past, requiring them to keep their accreditation current with a refresher course every six months. Medically trained individuals are likewise welcomed to participate in aid missions, without necessarily being active members.

In terms of working with local authorities, Red X's people in charge take their instructions from local emergency services as to what is needed, and work in conjunction with them, rather like the Citizen Corps or CERTs. Volunteers follow instructions from their Red X field leaders, who in turn are taking instructions from either Red X response leaders or from the local emergency services commanders.

Elpis

What is Elpis?

Elpis is an NGO (non-governmental organization) focused on addressing mutant issues in the developing world. It has two offices: the Westchester office, whose activities are directed by Nathan Dayspring, and the Tel Aviv office, staffed by the former members of the Pack and a number of the surviving ex-Mistra operatives. It also has a board of directors including Nathan, Charles Xavier, and Moira MacTaggart. The board is led by Joel Rollins, a highly experienced aid worker who was recruited by Xavier to provide overall direction for the new organization.

Nathan founded Elpis after his father's death and his subsequent inheritance of Saul's sizeable estate. Elpis is still a relatively new player on the NGO scene, but its deep pockets and many connections, as well as its involvement in a number of high-profile situations (especially the events in Smichov and the Preserver bombings), has earned it a reputation more quickly than might have been expected.

What sort of things does Elpis do?

Elpis does a great deal of investigative work, which involves traveling to various regions to assess the needs of the mutant population there. Projects are carried out based on the results of those investigative trips. For example, Elpis created shelters and vocational training centers for mutant street kids in Nicaragua, and has dispatched a number of roving medical teams to rural and remote areas. Elpis staff have also become involved in mediating conflicts between mutants and baseline humans over political, social and economic issues. They have investigated human rights abuses relating specifically to mutants (such as the situation in Smichov, as well as the mutant trafficking trade. More recently, they have launched a major DDR (disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration) program targeted specifically to the needs of mutant child soldiers, with close to a dozen centres due to be opened in as many countries.

On the personal level, an employee of Elpis can expect to do a great deal of research work. He or she would also attend various meetings and conferences. The chance for world travel to exotic locales is less frequent than the paperwork, but still regular.

Can I join? How do I do that?

If you want your character to work for Elpis, it can probably be arranged. IC, they would need to be hired by Nathan, although other members of Elpis could also recommend them. Paid employees of Elpis need to be eighteen or older, but younger characters can serve as volunteers.

If my character is in Elpis, can I still be an X-Man/Red X/teacher/student etc?

Most Elpis employees work part-time, and thus can arrange their schedules to accomodate classes, team training, or RedX work. Part-time teaching could also potentially be juggled, although you can risk overloading your PC.

Villains

Who are the X-Project villains?

The full list of Villains already established in X-Project can be found here. You'll notice there are movie and comics canon villains, as well as originals. There is also a handy spreadsheet which summarises the status of XP villains that have been used.

Can anyone use any of the villains in a plot?

Certainly. In cases where the villain is tied closely to a specific PC (for example, if you wanted to have renegade Mistra agents still loose) or is socked by one of the players, we'd direct you to talk to the player who has the ties/socks the villain, just to ensure continuity and correct characterisation. In the cases where the villain is socked by a particular player, we'd ask that you use the same player for any socking you might need.

Can I introduce a villain of my own?

Of course. The standard guideline is that villains tend to be introduced as part of a plot, in order to avoid too many villains being approved and then left unused when someone else might be interested in using them. The 'standard of movieverse realism' applies to backgrounds etc - no time travellers, no aliens, that sort of thing. If you want to use a concept such as Project Tearaway to explain part of your villain, you may be guided towards the player who introduced the concept, to ensure continuity again.

Can I write my own villain?

Most of the time we'll encourage you to get someone else to sock your villain. Mainly because this is cooperative roleplay, and writing large scenes by yourself removes the cooperative part. It is possible for someone to write the role of a villain in scenes their character is in, however there needs to be at least one other PC not written by that player involved.

To get a socker for your villain, either approach a player you think would be good directly, ask the mods for suggestions, or make an open request on the mailing list or the player LJ comm to ask for volunteers.

Who socks the existing villains?

In cases where the villains are socked by specific players, there will be a note on their Wiki page in the Meta section letting you know who. Villains who are mod-controlled will be noted as being socked by the mods. An overview of who socks whom can be found here.

Where there is no note as to who socks, please bring it to the attention of the mods/Wiki editors and we'll find out who does and correct it.

Why are some villains mod-controlled?

Mod-controlled villains tend to be those whose actions can impact the gameworld in a significant way, or who are frequently used and need continuity kept. Examples are Magneto, most of the members of the Brotherhood of Mutants and so on. In some cases a modsocked villain will be written by someone else with the approval of the mods, but the logs will have to be sent to the modlist for approval prior to posting to ensure there's no big changes that have to be incorporated in the gameworld that weren't part of the plot application.

The list of mod-controlled Villains (and NPCs) is available to players here.

NPCs

Who are the X-Project NPCs?

The full list of NPCs already established in X-Project can be found here. You'll notice there are movie and comics canon NPCs, as well as originals. There are four classes of NPCs: Family and Friends, Staff and Students, Allies and Other (meaning their allegiance is undetermined).

Can anyone use any of the NPCs in a plot?

'General' NPCs are available for use by anyone. For family and close friends that don't 'belong' to you, you'll need to talk to the person whose PC they 'belong' to. Most times, the mods will direct you to talk to the socker of the NPC before the plot is approved (if you haven't already), just to establish continuity will be okay.

Can I introduce an NPC of my own?

Of course. Within reason, however - a cast of a thousand NPCs associated with your character will be discouraged, especially if you sock them all yourself. The idea of an RPG is to play with others, and there is a definite player preference for logs involving PCs talking to PCs, rather than PC/NPC.

Does this mean I shouldn't use NPCs at all?

Of course not. NPCs are a fundamental part of the game and are required to flesh out the gameworld. The rule of thumb in logging is to look at the proposed scene and ask yourself, "Is this scene essential?" and "Can this scene work with another PC or will only an NPC do?" If there is no other way to get the information across (eg, you can't use a journal post, or reference the information in another conversation with another PC, etc), and a PC cannot fill the required role, feel free to use the NPC.

Who socks the existing NPCs?

In cases where the NPCs are socked by specific players, there will be a note on their Wiki page in the Meta section letting you know who. NPCs who are mod-controlled will be noted as being socked by the mods. An overview of who socks whom can be found here.

Where there is no note as to who socks, please bring it to the attention of the mods/Wiki editors and we'll find out who does and correct it.

Why are some NPCs mod-controlled?

Mod-controlled NPCs tend to be those whose actions can impact the gameworld in a significant way, or who are frequently used and need continuity kept. For example, Moira MacTaggart because she is frequently used for expert advice on mutation, and thus determines powers etc, Istvan Barath is Prime Minister of Hungary and thus an influential figure in mutant politics, and Val Cooper and Fred Duncan refect the US administration and law enforcement's attitudes towards mutants. In some cases a modsocked NPC will be written by someone else with the approval of the mods, but the logs will have to be sent to the modlist for approval prior to posting to ensure there's no big changes that have to be incorporated in the gameworld that weren't part of the plot application.

The list of mod-controlled NPCs (and Villains) is available to players here.

What about unplayed PCs? Can I use them?

Obviously, given the existing ties many of our unplayed socks have with PCs, it's impossible to have them completely vanish from mention. However, we do prefer to avoid adding significant canon to an unplayed PC - it makes it more difficult to apply for them, and the mods have to work more to update their Wiki pages. Therefore we prefer to keep the use of unplayed PCs down to mentions only, and unless it's extremely exceptional circumstances and previously approved by the mods, there will be no actual socking.

Wiki

Can anyone add to the Wiki?

Every current player has access and editing rights to the Wiki. Every page, with the exception of the Main Page and the Policy pages, are open to editing by anyone in the game.

Do I need to clear what I want to post to the Wiki with the mods first?

No. Basically, if it appears on screen or was approved in an application of any kind (character, plot, whatever), it's free to go up on the Wiki. Likewise, PBs don't need to be approved either, unless you're using one that's already been used for another page, for whatever reason.

How often should I update my character page?

The rule of thumb is once every six months, or when you've had a significant event happen in your character's life. This isn't a policy, but if you leave it any longer than that, the job is more insurmountable the longer you leave it.

What about plots and NPCs/Villains?

If you've used the Wiki format for your plot submission, it shouldn't take you long to put it up after the plot's completed. Ideally, plots should be written up within a month of being completed, and any NPCs or Villains used (or created) done at the same time. Any longer than that and things pile up.

What can appear on the Wiki?

The Wiki is the repository for game canon, so basically anything that has appeared in-game and hasn't been retconned can be mentioned. Additionally, if there's something in a plot or character/NPC/Villain write up that is approved by the mods but for whatever reason doesn't appear on screen, it may also be added in order to make things easier to research and avoid clashes later. If you've got something that will appear in the future, it's best not to add it until it's happened, to avoid spoilers. ;)

Can I ask someone to help with my pages?

Of course - not everyone is able to spend the time and effort involved in writing up things, or aren't able to find the right tone. We find a kind of barter system works best, to avoid a few people doing all the work - find something you can do for them in exchange for them doing your Wiki stuff.