Dune Apocalypse

"Apocalypse" is an appropriate name for our roleplay sim because our "Dune" starts where Frank Herbert’s "Dune" ends, except the end has been changed where we ask: what if things had gone badly? What if the hero Paul Maud’dib died? In fact, what if it all just melted down and CHOAM had to pick up the pieces? ... That’s where our sim begins, with factions derived from the novel but populated by new characters created by our players. Yet the fundamental conflicts of the novel remains: a battle of plots within plots for supremacy on a desert planet that holds the key to the galactic empire.

Because roleplaying involves immersing yourself in the history of the simulation, we created a forum and a wiki to allow for optimal collaboration by as many interested players as possible. Noneltheless, there was a core group who put this information together to ensure we have a solid foundation from which to guide players. Ali was the mastermind who put the team together, and the team has done an incredible job!

The design of the sim is based on the "Dune" miniseries that appeared on the SciFi channel in 2000. Our builders, Jimmy Branagh and Sinji Itokawa, were brilliant! We highly recommend them for anyone thinking of getting into sim creation. Speaking of creations, we also have new costumes and DCS weapons (designed by yours truly ) ... all of which creates a setting that makes roleplaying easier and so much fun.

Our "cruise director," Bromo Ivory, has been terrific in previous Dune sims and other RP sims for getting players together, working up ideas, writing backstories, and basic training in RP. He’s been outstanding in working on our forum and wiki, which were set up and administered by Jayden Beresford. We also have Paypabak Writer, historian extraoridnaire, who fine-tuned and wrote up the main history of "the apocalypse" and backgrounds for the Bene Gesserit and House Corrino (not to mention the majority of this article, hehe).

And then there’s Mistress Moxie, who stepped in to handle the various scripting needs of the sim! While we want to promote freeform roleplaying that emphasizes characters and plot over combat, we still wanted there to be the kind of action that you find in the books. Therefore, when our other scripter fell ill, Ali rolled up her sleeves in the midst of personal turmoil and her burgeoning MechanizedLife business enterprise, and took on the task of adapting the Dark Combat System (DCS) to the particular (and peculiar) needs of a Dune sim. Moreover, a major aspect of life on Dune is the balance of water and spice, so she created a scripting system for handling water loss in desert and city as well as the mechanisms for earning spice and spending it that works with the DCS and well as the vending machines we're providing for sim use.

Enter the Heighliner portal at http://slurl.com/secondlife/dune/128/128/128/?title=Dune. But don't forget to grab those awesome freebies (and read the rules) before entering the sim.

Forums: http://dunerp.com/forum/index.php
Wiki: http://dunerp.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

To promote the "Dune Apocalypse" roleplaying sim, the owners are offering a L$10,000 prize for a videocast that best presents the experience of playing there http://slurl.com/secondlife/dune/128/128/128/?title=Dune.

The ideal running time would last no longer than 4 minutes and show the main features of the sim design and offerings in terms of factions, costumes, and other features that make "Dune Apocalypse" a great place to spend one's precious Second Life time.

We ask that the video be presentable in a PG-rated environment even though it is considered a Mature site. Be as artistic as you want but remember we will be judging the video on the basis of how well it "sells" the sim.

A candidate must host the video and make it publically accessable without cost or downloading special applications for the viewer (i.e. youtube, etc.). The video will be portable, so we can host it after the contest.

Participants who are not a part of the sim must obtain a copy of our "FREEBIE" box which includes an OOC observer tag, suitable clothing, useful information, etc. We also ask that you do your best to not interfere in the roleplay of others. Please also read and abide by the sim rules enclosed.

The prize will constitute a flat fee for creating the video and therefore, Alidar Moxie, the sim owner, will retain all rights to the video.

Submit URL entries to http://dunerp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1110#1110.

Post questions and comments to: http://dunerp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1134#1134

Contest ends Friday, October 12, 2007.

Top five video entries will be posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007. Winner will be announced Friday, October 19, 2007 during a sim-wide event party at the main plaza on the Dune island (time TBA).

The L$10,000 Grand Prize will be given at the announcement.

All members and nonmembers are encouraged to participate. Admins and judges may submit videos but are ineligible for the grand prize Razz.

Good luck and have fun!

We have gotten some ideas so far, and I have to say they sound good. Can't wait to see them.

Just wanted to say that this experience has been awesome. From participating in the forum prior to the opening to the sim - to seeing the end product and finally getting to play! As the sim remains open and stories are starting to appear, this is getting even more exciting and can't wait to see what else happens.