- Joined
- Feb 8, 2022
- Messages
- 813
- Thread Author
- #1
“Could be the Combines handiwork. Hard to tell...
...there are so many ways to die out here.”
What are Expeditions?
Expeditions are large excursions beyond the borders of City 24. Groups of players work together to accomplish goals far beyond the reaches of the district they typically inhabit. These often will leave marks upon the server itself, temporary or even permanent changes in the status quo which can make it easier for some, and harder for others. More than change however, Expeditions are marked by the emphasis of exploration, and the further building of the world that exists not only beyond your district, but beyond City 24 entirely. Players can choose to engage in personal ventures or occasionally take on missions requested by other groups present across City 24.
Why Embark?
Expeditions are player driven efforts. They choose an objective they wish to see complete in the world and dedicate their resources and lives towards it's compilation. An overseeing team of GM’s following their progress and creating interesting encounters and scenarios along the way. Inherently unpredictable, yet always dangerous, those who commit to such treks will find themselves at great risk. Yet, the rewards are limited only to prevailing groups' imaginations. Raiding of Combine Depots, rescue of once lost allies, establishing outposts for like minded rebels…It's all possible in the lands beyond the towering, dark walls of the combine.
What are the risks?
Every expedition comes with the possibility of failing to return. Entire groups run the risk of being wiped off the map upon distant shores or unknown lands, with word of them never to return. The outlands are entirely unprotected from some of the deadliest creatures one can find. Xenians, Combine, and even other survivors of the endless cascades. Permanent deaths are the eternal standard on these journeys. As such, groups are required to bring their best foot forward. Violence and safety can be equally fleeting on the road. Adapting to unforeseen situations and capitalizing on good fortune are likely to be decisive for any survivors to return.
The world beyond:
While some aspects of the world are visible, what currently resides is only a single taste of what is beyond. Secrets are bountiful. As a result prosperity and peril can lay in wait anywhere. Abandoned facilities, old mining shafts, combine controlled areas and other occupied territories all exist. Potentially reacting to player choices along the way. The primary focus of Expeditions is not on combat or scripts. Rather, the concept is dedicated towards exploration. Stories of the wastes and worldbuilding through in-game events. Creating an interesting environment is as important as creating an interesting challenge, embedded into the world's logic.
How do they work:
Expeditions begin with players posting in the Expedition Requests section of this forum, please refrain from using Discord DMs or Forum PMs. Do note that only a maximum of 6 players can participate, by default, in the expedition due to quality concerns; this doesn't count GM's or actors. This also does not count Interception forces or Hunting parties. Greater numbers can be had with permission of overseeing Creative Team members.
The roster can be found via clicking here.
The application format can be found here:
Steam Name(s):
Character Name(s):
Are there any Vortigaunts present?:
What type of Expedition is this (Read about Expedition Type below):
Destination (Description and screenshot of the route):
Screenshot(s) of inventories:
Will you be using a vehicle?:
Screenshot(s) of the key(s) of the vehicle(s) you are using:
Character Name(s):
Are there any Vortigaunts present?:
What type of Expedition is this (Read about Expedition Type below):
Destination (Description and screenshot of the route):
Screenshot(s) of inventories:
Will you be using a vehicle?:
Screenshot(s) of the key(s) of the vehicle(s) you are using:
You may have noticed in the above format that it asked about a Type. To give a quick summary of these types, here are the 2 available types below:
Expedition - An expedition is the standard form of Expedition, nothing is special about it other than what you can find written all over about expeditions. Just your normal 3-6 man group
Interception - Interceptions are different and involve intercepting an ongoing Expedition. These are harder to pull off and depending on multiple factors may not always occur. Sometimes you may miss your target, sometimes you have 0 intel on where the other expedition is and sometimes we just don't have the staff to pull it off. These may be commonly denied but are always worth a shot if you wish to intercept an ongoing expedition whether for friendly means... or hostile means.
Only one expedition can occur at once, as they are resource-heavy for overseeing GM’s. Secondly, a cool-down period will be present for those who have finished one recently to allow others the chance should they wish to conduct their own. Applications can be denied for a variety of reasons, including bad planning. If you intend to attack the Citadel, you will be told no. Simply due to absolute, inherent futility. So keep goals grounded in the realm of possibility.
After an application is accepted the group will gather any supplies they wish to bring along. Supplies brought will be carried over on the journey, and be the only source of equipment aside from what may be found in the world proper. Groups will also only be able to carry what their inventories can handle, assuming they are without additional transport. Pack wisely as additional supplies are not guaranteed at the moments you may need them most. Once supplies are gathered, and GM’s are prepared to let the shields in the underground down, the group will set off. All participating characters will be banned from the main server until they return. The group will first make their way through the canals and underground passages of City 24 before they finally reach the outlands. This will be a common leg of the journey for any groups.
From here, a divergence occurs. From now on, you will use the world map for travel. Players will personally draw out routes for themselves using known information on the world map to either avoid, or intentionally collide with present obstacles and locations. Overmap events will happen depending on surrounding environments and what the party runs into on the paths ahead. Locations can be ignored or explored along the way, with entire objectives being affected by the group's choices. While players cannot die during Overmap events, they can significantly hinder or excel progress. Only key areas of interest are generally explorable, for the sake of brevity.
After some time, groups will inevitably choose to explore, or be forced to engage with environments within a server event. This puts players back on the ground, now directly responsible for their own actions in a custom setting hosted by the Short Stories server. This is where most personal exploration and passive RP will unfold. Players are encouraged to take things slowly, not only for their safety - but the preservation of the experience. We ultimately work within the limitations of the Source engine. Groups will only ever be able to explore a maximum of two locations while on the journey. So, it at times is better to leave behind seemingly less important landmarks. The groups objective destination does not count towards this limit.
The main event will culminate in the chosen destination, or objective. This will typically be the final step of any journey, as return trips are typically not represented unless special circumstances arise. After some time, groups will return with any survivors and gear found. Groups that have been away for some time, or experienced multiple setbacks may be marked BOL as a result of societal miscount.
We intend to have most expeditions last around 1 week. This is to make sure characters are not kept away from the server for too long and that there is a steady flow of Expeditions being conducted. Some may end up being longer, but the general desire is to keep the experience memorable, but fluid.
Last edited by a moderator:
