Update Zero - The Wagon Train
Update Zero Decision
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NOTE: It is important that you read the update before voting in the above poll(s). Most images (all large images) will enlarge when clicked.
General information
Hello everyone. Welcome to Progress, a City Journal that will allow you not only to witness the growth of a community, but to to participate on several levels. This journal will chronicle the establishment of a new community in the western United States during the period of westward movement commonly referred to as Manifest Destiny. The details of this community will not be decided by me, the author, however. They will instead be completely up to you, the readers. Every reader that wishes to will have a character that is participating in this journal that they can personally control each time there is an update.
I will not have a character in this world, and will instead be a sort of "gamemaster" that carries out the effects of character's actions in the journal and who decides the circumstances that will present themselves with each update. For example, I may decide that a disaster should strike the community and that it should be a fire, but I would randomly determine its exact effects on the community. I will make sure that effects like these are determined randomly not only to keep things interesting, but to make sure that everything is completely unbiased.
There are several ways that you can participate in Progress. The first is by having a character that you can control inside the community. To begin participating in Progress with a playable character you need to sign up by filling out a "Join" Form. There will be a new form with every update and you can only join through the most recent form. Due to technical constraints and because I want to keep this at least somewhat manageable on my end only 100 people may join the community each month. After you complete this form there will not be any more forms to complete (at least not with the current plan, this may change) and you will control your character using the comment section on each update. The ways you can interact with the community through your playable character will be outlined in each update with a list of possible actions at the end of the update. An example of this is included at the end of this update. Some examples of what you will be able to do are founding business, taking up jobs, and building houses, but all of these actions may not be available in a give update sequence and you can only perform one action each update. It is possible for these characters to die The second way you can participate in Progress is by voting in the polls that will accompany each update. Whereas characters allow you to interact on a very small scale, polls will deal with issues and decisions that will impact the entire community. The poll accompanies this first update, which allows you to vote on where the community will be founded, is an excellent example of the kind of things that will be controlled by polls. Actions and polls will be color coded within updates. Action information will feature orange, while poll information will be titled green.
The in-game time gap between updates for this first period will be two seasons. This means that the train will reach its destination in Autumn and that will be the point in time addressed by the next entry.
The game mechanics will change on occasion, as this is a largely experimental journal. It should also be noted that the idea for this journal is largely inspired by a project called "The Towne" that was attempted on the CSGForums a few years ago. You can check that out by clicking this link. If you have any further questions, comments, or concerns please address them in the comment section.
Now that all the information is out of the way, it's time for you to make your first decision.
Update Zero - The Wagon Train
The date is March 27th, 1858. The season is Spring.
You have arrived in Independence, Missouri, having completed the first leg of your journey to a new life. The decision to seek a new beginning in the great unknown of the American West has not been an easy one, and this is your last chance to turn back. Once you agree to be part of the wagon train leaving tomorrow you cannot go back. Do you want to gamble it all for a clean slate and a chance to become rich from the promised bounty of the land this ragtag caravan hopes to find?
Character Action: There is one possible action for characters in this update.
Action 1: Click the image below to fill out the form to join the wagon train, or chicken out and head back east.
The time limit on this action has expired.
If you join Progress it is helpful you follow the journal or subscribe to its RSS feed in order to keep up to date with entries.
Community Poll: Decide where the wagon train should stop and establish a town.
The next entry will meet the train at its destination in Autumn of 1858.
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