The GRP – What it is and is not

It has come to my attention that there is some confusion as to the players involvement in the process and the entire process of the GRP as a whole. I have included the following to help players understand the process. Please note that player input is not a part of this process to those of the GRP team.

The GRP, from the Addenda:

Custom Mechanics: New custom mechanics of any sort are submitted as themes, concepts and backgrounds via the Approvals Database; upon reaching Global, mechanics will be developed and tested by the Global Rules Panel. Mechanics are not to be submitted by the applicant.

Now, what does that mean? What this means is that players are no longer a part of the mechanics writing process. At the moment, players are aware of (as are STs) of what mechanics belong to whom (by nature of them having been in play already), but in future, the players identity will be stripped from the GRP process. As such, current and future GRP reviews should be viewed in the light of what is appropriate for the game, not what a player wants.

At no time in this process should player desire outweigh what is best for the venue for which said item is being considered.

The creation of the GRP is to balance out one of the few mandates from WW/CCP. There is a desire from the company to have no more player created mechanics. As I feel that there is value in player created moods and themes, the GRP was created to handle the mechanics of what is and is not thematically appropriate for the games we run. At no time outside of the initial thematics is the player involved in the creation of the mechanics. All of the appropriate data for the considered approval should be in the hands of the GRP so they can begin discussion for fit and find and playtest mechanics for the venue specific themed item. Once an approval is finalized, it is sent to the WW Liason for final review and approval before being made available to the player base.

The process now and going forward is as follows:

Approval is placed in DB for an item for consideration. Approval is reviewed by the ST chain from VST to AMST Venue and MST. Once it is decided that said item is acceptable, it goes into the GRP queue to wait for its review.

GRP reviews the themes and desires of the items desired outcome. It is at this time that the GRP then offers ideas for consideration for mechanics.

Once a final mechanic is decided upon (after being playtested by several members of the team) and any playtest feedback is finalized, it is considered final and sent to the WW Liason for final approval.

If the Developer approves the item, it is available for play and will be placed on the wiki and made available to the original player (if they wish to purchase the item) as well as others who meet the requirements and may be applied for as any other approval item.

Michelle Webb
WW2002021096
MST
5 October 2009

The GRP Team – What you are and are not

The GRP Team – what you are and are not (for those coming in to the team and to help in understanding their dual role as national officer and GRP team member)

What you are – the people who work on the mechanics based on the themes presented to you in the applications.
You are expected to be tough on any existing powers written prior to the GRP up for consideration. You are to review them as if you would any other thing written in a White Wolf book and be treated as if some anonymous author wrote this on Page XX.

You are advocates for the game and what is best for it. That is the only role you have in this process. You are working to develop mechanics (or borrow from published material) that have a mood, theme and mechanic that goes with what games we are running.

What you are not – Player advocates. This system does not allow for (nor should it) player feedback and commentary. If we give one person the ability to put their .02 in, everyone should have that ability and that will get us nowhere, and go against the mandate from the company of no player generated mechanics.

Now, for many of you, this goes against what you were hired to be. This will be difficult for you to do but it is necessary to treat any mechanics we see and any mood and theme we come across as something written by some anonymous author and printed on Page XX. It is vital that you learn to separate your normal role as national advocate for your venue to that of objective observer.

Michelle Webb
WW2002021096
MST
5 October 2009

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