Interview with Izzy and her game 'What will be, will be…'

With all the fuss over Flashback week, and judging the competition, I didn’t notice that the roleplaying game What will be, will be… has now surpassed 100 posts, only the 3rd game on OngoingWorlds that has reached this landmark (see the interview with Duri from Terrifyingly Yours whose game surpassed 100 posts in march). So I interviewed Izzy, who started the game in June and asked her about the game and where it’s going next.

What inspired you to create a roleplaying game?

I’ve always enjoyed writing fiction and such like for fun, and when I discovered OngoingWorlds I thought it would be awesome to create a game and see what people thought of the idea and what they would do with the story.

I set my game in a school as I am currently still in High School, and as I bore in several lessons I often start day dreaming about things that would make my school day more interesting. I thought it would be fun in some way to go through the lives of both teachers and students in a school and remind everyone that what you see isn’t always the full story, whether its an awkward school girl, or an annoying teacher.

Was it easy for you to find members for your game?

Well, I didn’t really try to find members. I created the game, posted the first post (so that anyone who joined would know what was going on), and waited. The first person to join was Lilka, who has been a really huge part in What will be. She was the first member other member, and she posted regularly. In a few weeks another member joined, and then I introduced one of friends to OngoingWorlds, and they joined, then in a while we hit the top games list, and gained like 4 members over night!

Your game is a modern drama, how do you make sure all members remain respectful to the original intention of the game? Do any other members try and change it to a mystery or horror at any time?

I think the general story-line and what’s going on keeps most members to the theme. Although, one member has added in a post that contains magic or something odd. However, she doesn’t use it that often and I think we can just ignore the ones that don’t make much sense. I mean as long as the story is still going in the right direction, with out getting too side-tracked, I don’t really think it matters too much. I’ve observed that too many rules push members away. But I did find it odd that when one of my members joined she described her character as ‘physkick’ I think she meant ‘psychic’, either way it doesn’t matter, as I’ve heard of people in these modern times who see ‘visions’ of sorts.

What’s your experience with roleplaying games? Have you ever created a play by post game before?

I love these role-playing games, and before I knew about the OngoingWorlds site I hadn’t experienced Play-By-Post. My first game was [Forever Searching], although what will be. is turning out much more popular.

Do you find being the owner of a game is a different experience to being a member?

Being a moderator is different from being a member. Although its great to both, I love having the control! Its enjoyable to have all the perks of a member and control over all characters and posts.

Why did you think OngoingWorlds was the ideal place for your game?

I think OngoingWorlds is the best site for these game things. I like the look of the design along the page, and I love the system of the characters having pictures, and the game having a picture, and really all of it!

What kind of things so you have planned for the story in the future?

I suppose where the game goes is up to the members. I think its going to continue to go through each character and what happens in their life, and how that effects how they are at school, which then effects everyone else, who each has differences in their lives! So, I guess its always going to be the same yet different. Same idea, with totally different things going on all the time. So, hopefully a lot of action.

What happens when your characters get older and leave the school? Will the setting remain in the school and focus on new characters or will it follow the existing characters to college or into their careers?

To be honest, I’m not sure. I think we’ll end up following them into college, as its not easy to build up a character, get people to love them, and then get them dropped. I think the posts will alternate between the main school scene, and possible college life. And, as the characters live in the area anyway it shouldn’t be too hard to keep them involved.

How much control do the members have over the story or do they wait for you to push the story along?

I try to make sure that everyone gets to post when they want, depending on what characters are in at what moments. But, it seems to work in a kind of rota. I post, someone else posts, I post again. I try to post after every post, so I check it every day.

Do you have any criteria of writing ability to join your game, or would you let anyone join even if they can’t spell or write very well?

Not really. I think if somebody wants to join, and will enjoy the time they spend in the game then why should it matter if they can’t spell? Although it does get annoying when done frequently, as long as other members can understand what is going on, it should be fine. I doubt that I would encounter a member who can’t write very well, though. I mean surely if you can’t write very well you wouldn’t join a primarily writing website!

If a new member were to join right now, what would be the best way they could introduce their character?

I don’t have any specific criteria, I suppose once people have created their characters that they can just post where it concerns them. In a way, if they choose to make their charater from Colorado, and in the History section have said something along the lines of ‘born and bread’ then they are adding in just another person who would have previously just been wandering around the school, as obviously there are more people in the school than just the eight or so characters. And if their character is new completely then its very easy to just do a ‘First Day’ post. I think that I’d recommend a post in a lesson, or a break for existing students, but definitely a ‘First Day’ post for newbies.

If you’d like to join the game What will be, will be… or just to read their story so far, go here.