Frequenty Asked Questions (FAQ)
This list will be constantly updated, and consists of questions we find we get asked a lot about this game. The answers to these questions generally come from either jaysummers or katsudon, with some consulting from the members of the Shadow Council (insert loud boom of thunder and ominous cackle here).
If you ~have~ a question you feel would be well served being on this list, either ask a moderator or leave a question here and we will try to answer your question as quickly as possible.
Character Creation
1. What if [my characters] fall into pervert AND killer? Do we get snazzy two-coloured jumpsuits?
Your crime is not necessarily a crime your character need have committed. After all, many characters people may choose to play may be upstanding characters who genuinely aren't guilty of any of the four crimes. You may very well be innocent of the crime in question, but the point is that you have been convicted of a very specific crime and are now serving time for that. Pick a crime either a)that best describes your character or b)that would be hilarious, ironic, and/or cruel for your character. As an example: Kenpachi from Bleach by what he's done would technically fit best into Killers; however, he could just as easily have been framed of a crime of cowardice (perhaps he was a prisoner of war who willingly surrendered) and thus is placed in the Cowards category. Pick one that you like and run with it.
2. I was wondering if it's possible to have a [category] for 'thieves'?
We considered using "thieves" as one of the categories, but decided against it as thievery is considered a relatively minor crime and one that won't have as profound an effect on a character as, say, being accused of cowardice, murder, betrayal, or shameful lust. In most societies, stealing is seldom a crime that warrants life in prison, wheras Murder, Sexual Perversions, and Treason are all considered the most severe of crimes. Cowardice we chose because it's a good category for prisoners of war to fall under, enemies of a nation who surrendered, and because it can also affect characters who pride themselves on their courage greatly.
That said, if you wish to play a thief-style character, by all means do not be discouraged. We actually have several elements of the game set up where a skilled thief can be more useful than any fighter. The crimes listed should not limit the kind of characters you can play in the slightest. As an example, Yuffie from FF7 is an excellent thief and wouldn't likely have committed a crime that exactly fits any of the names; however, she could very easily have been framed for the murder of a high ranking Shinra exec, or perhaps she was framed for gross sexual misconduct against a little boy in the Wutei tribe. Whether or not they are guilty is not an issue, and choosing a crime will in no way affect our decision as part of the application process.
3. When do applications reopen?
This is an important question, because a lot of people have asked this. APPLICATIONS ARE ALWAYS OPEN. You will be introduced at the beginning of the next shower shift from when we are able to review your application. Note that all applications are "sat on" for a week before we approve them in case someone else was working on an application for the same character, so you would need to get your application in at least a week before the shower shift if you want to get your character in during said shift.
4. Original Characters? Not fandom OCs, but completely original characters. Are they playable?
At present we're not accepting OCs. If enough people end up asking about playing completely original characters, we may consider changing this in the future or putting up a poll to see how people feel about them, but for now we're sticking with canon characters only.
Loot, Starting Gear, and Clothing
1.Do the jumpsuits have pockets?
Yes. It is possible to sneak stuff around in said pockets; however, the guards are ever-watchful, and sneaking things like spoons or other equipment from the day is difficult (yet not impossible - see a mod if you want to be sneaky).
2. What exactly do the collars look like? (Like, what are they made of, etc.)
The collars are made of a simple silverish metal of unknown composition. It is flexible enough to not inhibit the character's actions, but snug and firm enough that it cannot be pulled over the chin. On it are only two noteworthy things: a very small LCD that is red during the day, but switches to green at night, and a slot for what appears to be a key of some kind. Any efforts to tamper with the collar, well, talk to an NPC Mod or Main Mod if you want to be dumb enough daring enough to try it.
Bulletin Boards
1. As a pervert stuck in the cowards wing, do I have access to the pervert board or the coward board?
The coward board, since the board is located in the wing you're located in.
2. Would the bulletin board have anything on it from the other [NPC] prisoners? Would there be names?
There are, but there's nothing of interest or note on there. Think of these posts to be similar to talking to an NPC in a final fantasy game. Very seldom worth your time. If something ~IS~ posted by an npc prisoner that's noteworthy, we'll be sure to actually post it. As for names, there will, but again these names are meaningless unless we specifically post something with meaning attached.
Maps and Locations
1. What the hell is up with the different colored doors on the maps?
Green Doors can be open or closed at will. They may or may not lead to accessible locations during the day depending on the shift. Ask a mod if you're unsure.
Yellow Doors are locked, both during the day and at night. They are generally sturdy doors and standard methods of brute force will not work on them (maybe a battering ram and several prisoners or other creative brutal ways might work...but the standard "slam into the door and hope it gives" will give your character nothing but a bruised arm.) They can, however, be picked if your character has the talent to do so, or other forms of general sneakiness will allow you access. This is to give less combative characters who excell in intelligence and other non-martial capabilities a slight edge, and a reason someone might want to take them along.
Red Doors don't seem to fit in with the general feel of much of the rest of the prison. Like the central tower, they seem a bit too high tech for the otherwise old-school, Shawshank Redemption prison. In room descriptions the security system is usually described - if not, it's an electric card key. If it is, this could be anything from voice recognition software to retinal scanners to DNA samplings. The sky's the limit. There is no way to bypass this securty. You need the keycard, the DNA, the retina...whatever is needed to get past, or you're stuck.
2. What's the weather like? At night what phase is the moon?
The weather is always sunny and nice, and at night the moon is always full.
3.So I've heard rumor of hidey holes where things can be stashed, but how exactly would a character find those? Is there any indication of what they look like or how a character would notice them?
If your character is searching a room for lootable stuff, feel free to poke an NPC mod or a main mod and ask them if you find anything. Some hidey holes are very well hidden (possibly other clues found in the institute may lead to them) while other hidey holes take only a routine search of the room (one such hidey hole has already been discovered: a hidey hole in the machine shop that was a box taped under a bench.)
Really, they look like whatever's appropriate in the area. Some may be loose floorboards, others may be hidden compartments in cabinets...still others may be more complex.
Errata
1.I don't like how everything about the game is an obvious ripoff of another game, and even if the mods and players of the original game don't mind the borrowing, it still makes this game look too unoriginal to be appealing. I mean, why apply there if when I could just as easily apply for the game that's exactly like it but better?
(Note: this was an anon-meme comment that we felt was worth responding to because it does raise concerns we feel others may be feeling)
KATSU) The format is very similar to Landel's, since it's a format that we liked and it works for the kind of game that we wanted to run. There are several RPs that use similar formats, so if you like that format, there you go.
It's a smaller game than Landel's Damned at this time; I guess I'll keep making comparisons to Damned since that seems to be the one the anons are obsessed with. So, smaller. If that's good or bad is up to you.
Story wise, I can't say with certainty how different it would be from Damned, since I'm not a mod there and I have no idea what their major plot arc is. (And I did play there for a couple of years. Possibly I'm an unobservant player.) But, to the best of my knowledge the plot is different, and it's something that David and I (with a little help from my bf and David's roommate) came up with on our own. However, the plot is a zero-sum thing, since I don't know if you'd like it and obviously am not going to describe it to you to see if you will.
The players we have are generally very nice, and experienced RPers. We've currently got a nice variety of fandoms that the characters are from, without one dominating. (And we've got a couple from very small fandoms, such as Alice and Starcraft.)
Basic concept is a prison that you're locked up in for a crime that is only generally discussed, though most likely believable. You currently have no memories of being abducted, etc. The guards are brutal, the food is questionable, and at night there are a variety of fun ways that you can die.
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask, or I'm sure if you contact anyone that plays in our game they can give you an overview of what it's like as a player. The one stab I'll take at the anon above is that anyone who thinks HG is exactly the same as Damned obviously hasn't played both games. (And is quite possibly just looking for somewhere to grind an axe for some reason.)
As to whether Damned or HG is a superior RP, that's really for the individual players to judge. I'm secure enough in the size of my "I'm a GM" cock that I'm really not interested in the rest of the wank.
DAVID) Katsu sums it up pretty well, but here are my comments.
Both Katsu and I used to play damned and left on very good terms with the mods. We never created Hell's Gate to be a replacement for damned, and honestly I don't think either of us would want this game to grow to the massive size of damned because the plot we have (which as Katsu says we're not going to get into) lends itself better to smaller games. While I could go over piece by piece what's different about hell's gate in comparison to damned, it's really much easier to boil down the parts that are similar. It's a 3rd person multifandom game where posting is split into shifts during the day with a long extended nightshift where monsters roam and sometimes prisoners are taken away for nefarious deeds. As Katsu says, this format works very well with the story we're planning on running, and while the basic format is borrowed, the plot is unique. We've also changed a lot of the ways things work. Death is possible here, and a the PCs aren't the only prisoners here. I've heard people tell me they consider hell's gate to be a darker, more violent, deadlier game than damned, and if that's the kind of game you're looking for, maybe ours is a good choice for you. If not, damned is a great game with wonderful mods and an amazing player base, and we're not trying to be damned. We're trying to be something altogether different, and are just using a format that we found more effective than your traditonal RP formats that are out there.
We're both always available by e-mail (or aim if we're on) if you have any comments or concerns.
If you ~have~ a question you feel would be well served being on this list, either ask a moderator or leave a question here and we will try to answer your question as quickly as possible.
Character Creation
1. What if [my characters] fall into pervert AND killer? Do we get snazzy two-coloured jumpsuits?
Your crime is not necessarily a crime your character need have committed. After all, many characters people may choose to play may be upstanding characters who genuinely aren't guilty of any of the four crimes. You may very well be innocent of the crime in question, but the point is that you have been convicted of a very specific crime and are now serving time for that. Pick a crime either a)that best describes your character or b)that would be hilarious, ironic, and/or cruel for your character. As an example: Kenpachi from Bleach by what he's done would technically fit best into Killers; however, he could just as easily have been framed of a crime of cowardice (perhaps he was a prisoner of war who willingly surrendered) and thus is placed in the Cowards category. Pick one that you like and run with it.
2. I was wondering if it's possible to have a [category] for 'thieves'?
We considered using "thieves" as one of the categories, but decided against it as thievery is considered a relatively minor crime and one that won't have as profound an effect on a character as, say, being accused of cowardice, murder, betrayal, or shameful lust. In most societies, stealing is seldom a crime that warrants life in prison, wheras Murder, Sexual Perversions, and Treason are all considered the most severe of crimes. Cowardice we chose because it's a good category for prisoners of war to fall under, enemies of a nation who surrendered, and because it can also affect characters who pride themselves on their courage greatly.
That said, if you wish to play a thief-style character, by all means do not be discouraged. We actually have several elements of the game set up where a skilled thief can be more useful than any fighter. The crimes listed should not limit the kind of characters you can play in the slightest. As an example, Yuffie from FF7 is an excellent thief and wouldn't likely have committed a crime that exactly fits any of the names; however, she could very easily have been framed for the murder of a high ranking Shinra exec, or perhaps she was framed for gross sexual misconduct against a little boy in the Wutei tribe. Whether or not they are guilty is not an issue, and choosing a crime will in no way affect our decision as part of the application process.
3. When do applications reopen?
This is an important question, because a lot of people have asked this. APPLICATIONS ARE ALWAYS OPEN. You will be introduced at the beginning of the next shower shift from when we are able to review your application. Note that all applications are "sat on" for a week before we approve them in case someone else was working on an application for the same character, so you would need to get your application in at least a week before the shower shift if you want to get your character in during said shift.
4. Original Characters? Not fandom OCs, but completely original characters. Are they playable?
At present we're not accepting OCs. If enough people end up asking about playing completely original characters, we may consider changing this in the future or putting up a poll to see how people feel about them, but for now we're sticking with canon characters only.
Loot, Starting Gear, and Clothing
1.Do the jumpsuits have pockets?
Yes. It is possible to sneak stuff around in said pockets; however, the guards are ever-watchful, and sneaking things like spoons or other equipment from the day is difficult (yet not impossible - see a mod if you want to be sneaky).
2. What exactly do the collars look like? (Like, what are they made of, etc.)
The collars are made of a simple silverish metal of unknown composition. It is flexible enough to not inhibit the character's actions, but snug and firm enough that it cannot be pulled over the chin. On it are only two noteworthy things: a very small LCD that is red during the day, but switches to green at night, and a slot for what appears to be a key of some kind. Any efforts to tamper with the collar, well, talk to an NPC Mod or Main Mod if you want to be dumb enough daring enough to try it.
Bulletin Boards
1. As a pervert stuck in the cowards wing, do I have access to the pervert board or the coward board?
The coward board, since the board is located in the wing you're located in.
2. Would the bulletin board have anything on it from the other [NPC] prisoners? Would there be names?
There are, but there's nothing of interest or note on there. Think of these posts to be similar to talking to an NPC in a final fantasy game. Very seldom worth your time. If something ~IS~ posted by an npc prisoner that's noteworthy, we'll be sure to actually post it. As for names, there will, but again these names are meaningless unless we specifically post something with meaning attached.
Maps and Locations
1. What the hell is up with the different colored doors on the maps?
Green Doors can be open or closed at will. They may or may not lead to accessible locations during the day depending on the shift. Ask a mod if you're unsure.
Yellow Doors are locked, both during the day and at night. They are generally sturdy doors and standard methods of brute force will not work on them (maybe a battering ram and several prisoners or other creative brutal ways might work...but the standard "slam into the door and hope it gives" will give your character nothing but a bruised arm.) They can, however, be picked if your character has the talent to do so, or other forms of general sneakiness will allow you access. This is to give less combative characters who excell in intelligence and other non-martial capabilities a slight edge, and a reason someone might want to take them along.
Red Doors don't seem to fit in with the general feel of much of the rest of the prison. Like the central tower, they seem a bit too high tech for the otherwise old-school, Shawshank Redemption prison. In room descriptions the security system is usually described - if not, it's an electric card key. If it is, this could be anything from voice recognition software to retinal scanners to DNA samplings. The sky's the limit. There is no way to bypass this securty. You need the keycard, the DNA, the retina...whatever is needed to get past, or you're stuck.
2. What's the weather like? At night what phase is the moon?
The weather is always sunny and nice, and at night the moon is always full.
3.So I've heard rumor of hidey holes where things can be stashed, but how exactly would a character find those? Is there any indication of what they look like or how a character would notice them?
If your character is searching a room for lootable stuff, feel free to poke an NPC mod or a main mod and ask them if you find anything. Some hidey holes are very well hidden (possibly other clues found in the institute may lead to them) while other hidey holes take only a routine search of the room (one such hidey hole has already been discovered: a hidey hole in the machine shop that was a box taped under a bench.)
Really, they look like whatever's appropriate in the area. Some may be loose floorboards, others may be hidden compartments in cabinets...still others may be more complex.
Errata
1.I don't like how everything about the game is an obvious ripoff of another game, and even if the mods and players of the original game don't mind the borrowing, it still makes this game look too unoriginal to be appealing. I mean, why apply there if when I could just as easily apply for the game that's exactly like it but better?
(Note: this was an anon-meme comment that we felt was worth responding to because it does raise concerns we feel others may be feeling)
KATSU) The format is very similar to Landel's, since it's a format that we liked and it works for the kind of game that we wanted to run. There are several RPs that use similar formats, so if you like that format, there you go.
It's a smaller game than Landel's Damned at this time; I guess I'll keep making comparisons to Damned since that seems to be the one the anons are obsessed with. So, smaller. If that's good or bad is up to you.
Story wise, I can't say with certainty how different it would be from Damned, since I'm not a mod there and I have no idea what their major plot arc is. (And I did play there for a couple of years. Possibly I'm an unobservant player.) But, to the best of my knowledge the plot is different, and it's something that David and I (with a little help from my bf and David's roommate) came up with on our own. However, the plot is a zero-sum thing, since I don't know if you'd like it and obviously am not going to describe it to you to see if you will.
The players we have are generally very nice, and experienced RPers. We've currently got a nice variety of fandoms that the characters are from, without one dominating. (And we've got a couple from very small fandoms, such as Alice and Starcraft.)
Basic concept is a prison that you're locked up in for a crime that is only generally discussed, though most likely believable. You currently have no memories of being abducted, etc. The guards are brutal, the food is questionable, and at night there are a variety of fun ways that you can die.
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask, or I'm sure if you contact anyone that plays in our game they can give you an overview of what it's like as a player. The one stab I'll take at the anon above is that anyone who thinks HG is exactly the same as Damned obviously hasn't played both games. (And is quite possibly just looking for somewhere to grind an axe for some reason.)
As to whether Damned or HG is a superior RP, that's really for the individual players to judge. I'm secure enough in the size of my "I'm a GM" cock that I'm really not interested in the rest of the wank.
DAVID) Katsu sums it up pretty well, but here are my comments.
Both Katsu and I used to play damned and left on very good terms with the mods. We never created Hell's Gate to be a replacement for damned, and honestly I don't think either of us would want this game to grow to the massive size of damned because the plot we have (which as Katsu says we're not going to get into) lends itself better to smaller games. While I could go over piece by piece what's different about hell's gate in comparison to damned, it's really much easier to boil down the parts that are similar. It's a 3rd person multifandom game where posting is split into shifts during the day with a long extended nightshift where monsters roam and sometimes prisoners are taken away for nefarious deeds. As Katsu says, this format works very well with the story we're planning on running, and while the basic format is borrowed, the plot is unique. We've also changed a lot of the ways things work. Death is possible here, and a the PCs aren't the only prisoners here. I've heard people tell me they consider hell's gate to be a darker, more violent, deadlier game than damned, and if that's the kind of game you're looking for, maybe ours is a good choice for you. If not, damned is a great game with wonderful mods and an amazing player base, and we're not trying to be damned. We're trying to be something altogether different, and are just using a format that we found more effective than your traditonal RP formats that are out there.
We're both always available by e-mail (or aim if we're on) if you have any comments or concerns.