The Official August Update Announcement

[Zeich Yajuu]

~August Update: The Finances Update~

(Or, “The Wall Street Bail-Out Update", says Kento)

Alright! As the summer begins to come to a close, the staff of Bleach: Online World would like to unveil a large update that we have been working on for some time. For a long while, we all know that Ryo has been nigh useless. It was a symbol to buy a few broken Black Market items, maybe show off that you’re extraordinarily wealthy and can buy items that are sort of meh. Maybe you can even create your own and then buy your own, woo? But now, with the major overhauls we are making to Ryo and its uses for it, we are hoping to not only bolster its value, but make use of it in ways to vastly improve on a number of systems. Here is a summary of the topics covered in this announcement:

• Ryo Updates – Ryo caps by rank, general deflation of currency, and compensation for Ryo reduction. This will increase the value of Ryo and, indirectly, improve the value of things that can be purchased with Ryo (more on that later). This will also directly affect shop prices.
• NPC Updates – NPCs have gotten a major overhaul on how they are created, used, and function in threads, with their growth and development handled as one of the new uses for Ryo to allow for a system of general advancement, making NPCs feel more useful.
• Bingo Book/Bounties Updates – The Bounty system has been rehauled to prevent abuse of hunting down RPCs, as well as having its capture values updated to include more modernized Ryo amounts as well as other rewards, such as TP. In addition, the Bingo Books are being updated.
• Increased High-Rank Leniency – In order to fill slots up and get some actual authority in the various worlds, we will be allowing some leniency to the higher-level positions when it comes to applying. This said, minimums will still not reach Captain level, but a Vice Captain-level application can certainly qualify to that level, as an example.
• Retirement of Inactive Characters – Characters who have not been present in a long time will be retired from the “Accepted Characters” list for the time being to indicate that they are no longer present.

Each topic will have its own post, so scroll down for more information!

[Zeich Yajuu]

Ryo Changes and Updates

The first of our major changes is going to take place in our Ryo system. While the money system will be posted up in the Rules and Mechanics section shortly, we wanted to make it abundantly clear what changes are going to be made in the Ryo system and how it will affect each character as a whole.

Ryo Caps
The first thing that will be updated is the cap on each individual’s Ryo. Before, we have had it so that any individual may have any amount of money, but now in order to contain the explosive inflation of Ryo we are establishing set caps to better control how much money is in the system and, in doing so, we hope to make it more valuable and worthwhile. Ryo will have new caps based on the character’s current Rank, and this will be a set cap that will only be altered by overall system changes. The new caps and their Ryo values are as follows:

• Rank 1: 45,000 Ryo
• Rank 2: 75,000 Ryo
• Rank 3: 125,000 Ryo
• Rank 4: 200,000 Ryo

Organizations and noble families are exceptions to this rule, and may have money donated to them by any members at any time, and may store as much Ryo as they wish. However, current values are being reduced for the time being to prevent already-existing families from having an overwhelming financial advantage, as agreed-upon by the moderating staff including our Ad-Gin. The basis on these numbers was based on overall site-wide participation and interaction for members within these groups. If you have not been included in this list and your organization/family has an ongoing bankroll, please PM myself or another moderator and we will get it updated properly. The values for various families are as follows:

• Kuchiki Family: 8,000,000 Ryo
• Shihoin Family: 4,000,000 Ryo
• Kawada Family: 1,000,000 Ryo
• Kasumi’Oji Family: 1,000,000 Ryo
• Uzaki Enterprises: 2,000,000 Ryo

Ryo Compensation
For those who are losing money due to the new Ryo caps, we have thought up ways to compensate you in order to make up for the loss of personal fortunes. While all Ryo that is above the cap will generally be lost due to trying to improve the value of money as a whole, there are two options that will be made available to players so that the money does not go to waste.

The first option is donation. Any member of an organization may donate an amount less than or equal to their current Rank’s cap to the organization or family that they are associated with. For example, an employee of Uzaki Enterprises can donate to UE, a Kuchiki can donate to the Kuchiki family, etc. Again, the value is an amount less than or equal to a character’s current rank cap, so a Rank 1 Character can only contribute 45,000 Ryo, a Rank 2 can contribute 75,000, etc.

The section option is compensation for the Ryo lost after donations are accounted for. With the updates to our NPC system (see the post below), we are offering people a chance to turn a large portion of their “lost” money into free benefits from the NPC system that can provide you with a powerful ally to bring along with you on your adventures. While we won’t get too much into the NPC system here, as it will be covered below, this option of compensation allows players to not only gain access to NPCs in exchange for their lost funds, but also gives them the ability to make use of them immediately. The following rewards will be given to those whose fortunes are reduced below their current values, and further details on the NPC system and their advancements will be listed in the post set aside for it:

• 50k or less Ryo lost - 1 NPC, Class 4 Maximum, up to 5 techniques.
• 150k or less Ryo lost - 1 NPC, Class 2 Maximum, up to 8 techniques.
• 500k or less Ryo lost - 1 NPC, Class 1 Maximum, up to 15 techniques.
• 1m or less Ryo lost - 2 NPCs, Class 3 Maximum (Can give or take Classes from one to the other), up to 20 total techniques between them.
• 2m or less Ryo lost - 2 NPCs, Class 2 Maximum (Can give or take Classes from one to the other), up to 25 total techniques between them.
• Greater than 2m Ryo lost - 2 Class 1 NPCs, 15 techniques each.

Two things must be noted, however: first, these amounts are not inclusive, and you are only awarded for the tier that you are at. For example, if you have lost 150k Ryo, you only get the Class 2 NPC, and not the Class 4 one. Second, while NPCs may be granted at a Class above their normal allowance (see NPC rules), as with existing NPCs they will not be allowed to advance until they have reached “legal” status as stated in the NPC section. This means that until the RPC owning them has a greater or equal Class and Rank, the NPC in question may not advance in either techniques, Class, or Rank.

Finally, we will be adding a new update to Section 1: Character Creation and Information regarding finances and it will be included as part of this announcement as we push it live, so you may view it immediately. See below for the update!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Finances}

Finances

One very important part of your character is their financial wealth, which grants them greater access to some of our more advanced systems, including our NPC, Custom Item, and Nobility systems. How do they get their money? Where does it come from? How much can one have? All of these questions will be answered in this section.

First, it is important to note how much money an individual starts with. Originally, Type determined one’s starting finances, but now it is a static amount based on the character’s starting Rank, with higher-ranked characters having more starting funds to work with. Characters at Rank 1 will start with 5,000 Ryo to their name, while characters at Rank 2 will start with 15,000, characters at Rank 3 will start with 30,000, and characters at Rank 4 will start with 50,000.

Next, there are multiple ways to accrue Ryo. The most obvious are job threads; these are much like training threads, in that a player can earn Ryo based on the number of paragraphs they write for that thread. Additionally, both Adventure and Quest threads reward a large amount of Ryo on completion of the threads, and are a considerable source of money. Finally, social threads can earn Ryo as well, and though not at as quickly of a rate as job threads, they allow more personal advancement of character stories than just performing odd jobs. See Section 6: Types of Threads for more information on each of these types of threads.

However, while there are a large number of ways to accrue Ryo, there are caps in place based on your current rank; the more you advance yourself, the more money you can hold. Those who are Rank 1 can only hold a total of 45,000 Ryo, while those who are Rank 2 can hold a total of 75,000 Ryo. Those who are Rank 3 can hold 125,000 Ryo, and those who are Rank 4 can hold a total of 200,000.

[Zeich Yajuu]

NPC System Updates

In the past, we have not had many personal NPCs, though many players have considered having one for the sake of having a companion to accompany them on threads in order to work with a support-type character, or simply to compliment their chosen style of play. Perhaps this NPC could have talents and skills that their associated RPC does not, allowing for more general versatility in threads where it may be needed. But until now, the NPC system has been a very loose system, and has not been well-integrated into our gameplay, so we have put our heads together and updated the system to not only be a major part of the Ryo overhauls, but to allow for a firm and visible system for NPCs to be advanced and involved. We will be adding a new section to our forum mechanics, Section 10: NPCs and You. We have included the new section below for players to view, in a spoiler, and will have it updated in the mechanics soon.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Section 10: NPCs and You}

~Section 11: NPCs and You~

NPC Creation and Restrictions

Often, stories revolve around a set group of heroes: the “main characters,” as they are called. In this forum, we, the players, are the main characters. We write the stories, guide the events, and influence the site as a whole, no matter how small the contribution. But what about those who work in the background? Those who support and back other characters? We have all seen NPCs in very passive and inactive roles, save for those who are controlled by GMs. But what about those who want to make these NPCs to take a place in the spotlight? What about those who wish to stop fighting alone, and start working cooperatively with other allies of your own creation? That is what you will discover in this section.

The first thing is NPC creation. The process of creating an NPC is simple enough, involving two steps: the NPC application and the Ryo payment. The application can be found here. Once you have filled out the application, the next step is to pay for the character, and the cost varies by character Class and Rank. A Class 8-5 NPC costs 5,000 Ryo to create, while a Class 4-3 costs 10,000 Ryo, a Class 2 costs 15,000 Ryo, and a Class 1 costs 30,000 Ryo. For ranks, a Rank 1 has no additional cost, but a Rank 2 adds 2,500 Ryo to the base cost, a Rank 3 adds 7,500 Ryo to the base cost, and a Rank 4 adds 15,000 Ryo to the base cost.

Advancement for NPCs is handled in a similar way, through the payment of Ryo and proof of advancement. To increase the Class of your NPC, the cost will vary. For any one Class between 8-5 (such as 8 to 7 or 6 to 5), the cost is a mere 2,000 Ryo per Class. Advancing from 5-3 (such as 5 to 4 or 4 to 3) costs 4,000 Ryo per Class. Advancing from 3 to 2 costs 5,000 Ryo, and advancing from 2-1 costs 10,000 Ryo. Each individual Class upgrade must have an explanation and a thread linked to the Class up; even if you pay for upgrading for multiple Classes, justification must be given in the form of a long-term thread that has shown large character development, or multiple threads that has done similar. The template for upgrading your NPC will be shown below.

There are restrictions to this, however; an NPC must be at least Class 4 to earn Rank 2, Class 2 to earn Rank 3, and Class 1 to earn Rank 4. An NPC cannot be a Class 8 with Rank 4, for example. Additionally, an NPC can never be a higher rank or Class than the RPC that they are associated with; for example, if your RPC is Class 3, Rank 2, then your NPC can never go above either Class 3 or Rank 2. NPCs can never fill positions that an RPC can (for example, they cannot claim 5th seat or higher for Shinigami), but instead may have their own custom positions and ranks based on their personal plot and relation to the RPC they are associated with. These positions will be reviewed during NPC grading.

When advancing an NPC, their SP is limited by their current Class; they may not possess an SP total greater than 400 per Class (400 at Class 8, 800 at Class 7, etc) or their possible training SP cap, whichever is lower. For example, a Class 6 Shinigami can cap at 1200 SP according to the per-Class limit, but they actually cap at 1000 SP due to training SP caps (300 from Class + 700 from capped training SP). The exception to this rule is Beast-Clansmen NPCs, who have a limit of 200 training SP gained per Class in addition to their normal leveling SP.

When it comes to powers, NPCs can learn their Release abilities much like a normal RPC can. This comes with a catch for “restricted” Releases like Bankai for Shinigami and Quinta Etapa for Akki; these are only available to an RPC that is at least Class 1 and Rank 3, and must be earned in a thread much like advancement of Classes. These can be learned at NPC creation, but in exchange the final price is doubled at creation. Other than that, NPCs are free to learn any technique that they are allowed to use based on their race and Class, including custom techniques that may be reviewed by moderators. All NPCs start with the “free” racial step technique (such as Shunpo, Bringer Light, etc) much like RPCs, but only if they qualify to use it; a Human NPC must be Class 5 to learn Bringer Light, for example. Once they meet all qualifications for it, they automatically gain it, even if they did not have it previously. Other techniques must be learned through the use of Ryo; Class 8 techniques cost nothing, but for each Class above that, the cost increases by 1,000 Ryo per Class. For example, a Class 7 technique costs 1,000 Ryo, a Class 6 technique costs 2,000 Ryo, etc. NPCs are limited to 15 technique slots, and must use Amnesia Pills much like a normal RPC to un-learn and learn new techniques.

When it comes to skills, all NPCs regardless of rank or Class start with 10 SKP. To gain additional SKP, Ryo must be paid to further upgrade the character. For each SKP, the cost goes up; the first, which would put an NPC at 11 SKP total, costs 5,000 Ryo, while the second costs 10,000 Ryo. From then on, the costs increase to the following: 15,000 for the third, 20,000 for the fourth, 25,000 for the fifth, 30,000 for the sixth, 35,000 for the seventh, and finally 40,000 for the eighth. NPCs will cap at 18 total SKP, and cannot go above this amount.

Finally, there are a few more restrictions in place; an RPC may only have two NPCs per rank level, for one thing. Additionally, short of the Vizard Leader, no RPCs can have an NPC that follows the Path of Hollowfication. Last, NPCs are restricted from any “final” Releases, such as Saigo no Houmen or the Human Metamorphosis Ritual.

SPOILER: Click to show

{NPC Advancement Template}[b][u]NPC Name:[/u][/b] (What is your NPC’s name?)

[u][b]Old Class[/b][/u] (What Class is your NPC advancing from?)

[u][b]New Class[/b][/u] (What Class is your NPC advancing to?)

[u][b]New Powers[/b][/u] (If your NPC has new techniques or new Release powers unlocked, list them here).

[u][b]Justification Threads[/b][/u] (List threads that have shown an NPCs development up until this point.)

[u][b]Point Bank Link[/b][/u] (Link your point bank for Ryo confirmation)

Using NPCs in Threads

Now comes the important part of NPCs: using them in threads. NPCs can join in any types of threads; they can be used to train with their RPC and others, show up for social threads, join adventures alongside their RPC, or even participate in PVP threads with permission from the other RPCs. These do have various rules and restrictions attached, which are listed below.

First, using an NPC in a thread has a Ryo cost assigned to it. For social threads or training threads, obviously there is no cost attached, but for Adventures or PVP there is. In Adventures or Quests, there is a cost based on the Class and Rank of the NPC being added; a Class 8-5 NPC costs 5,000 per thread to enter into a thread, while a Class 4-3 NPC costs 15,000 to add into a thread, a Class 2 NPC costs 20,000 to enter into a thread, and a Class 1 costs 45,000 to add into a thread. In addition, a Rank 2 NPC increases the cost by 2,500 Ryo, a Rank 3 NPC increases the cost by 7,500 Ryo, and a Rank 4 NPC increases the cost by 15,000 Ryo. For using an NPC in a PVP thread, permission is first needed from other participants. If they agree, an NPC can be added into a thread much like with an Adventure or Quest, but the costs are halved. (i.e. a Class 4, Rank 2 NPC would cost 17,500 to join an Adventure or Quest, but only 8,750 to join a PVP).

There is a catch to using an NPC in threads, however; if a thread is ranked Damage Permanent (DP) or Death-Enabled (DE), then an NPC can be killed, and all progress with them will be lost with no refund on the Ryo. They are still subject to the normal rules of fairness in threads (i.e. no one-hit kills immediately, etc) and are treated with the same sportsmanship given to RPCs. The exception to this rule is staff-sponsored site threads (events, etc, but not including personal threads) and Canon threads, both of which are considered to always be DP or higher for NPCs, and can in fact lead to their deaths. Be wary when adding NPCs to threads, as everyone dies some day, and this may be their time.

Using NPCs in training comes with its own additional reward, as your NPC has the potential to grow stronger alongside you, earning you the ability to advance them through sheer hard work. When in a training thread, if one trains with their NPC, they can also earn Ryo alongside their normal rewards. For every two paragraphs completed, an NPC may earn 50 Ryo; note, this does not convert to 25 Ryo per paragraph. Additionally, this applies to joint training threads as well. For every two paragraphs that participants write in total, all participants with NPCs involved also earn 50 Ryo.

As stated in the Ryo section, NPCs granted via the compensation event or via existing NPCs that are already above the limits of the RPC appropriate to them are still valid despite going past that limitation, but are barred from advancement in any form until they are considered “legal,” with the RPC in question having a greater or equal Rank and Class to the NPC.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Bingo Book System Updates

The Bingo Book is a well-known system used by influential individuals to mark targets for either capture or death, a bounty system that aspiring and successful hunter alike uses in order to earn their fortune. In the past, the Bingo Book has been kind of loosely handled, with the desirability of being hunted down minimal, so we are adding a new system in place in order to update bounty hunting and rewards, limiting how much an individual can be hunted to avoid an uncomfortable situation of being constantly targeted while also making rewards more desirable. With this update, we are hoping to revitalize the Bounty System and make it so that a character’s large-scale actions on the story are reflected in their value in the eyes of the world’s darker sides.

For this, we will be adding The Bounty System writeup to a new sub-forum in the Black Market, the Bounty Board, where it will be stickied for easy access. For the convenience of our members, a copy will also be included in the announcement here for you all to read as it goes live.

SPOILER: Click to show

{The Bounty System}

~The Bounty System~

Hunt, Or Be Hunted.

Throughout the history of our site and the worlds contained therein, many individuals have made a large impact on the world. These individuals, through their actions, have drawn the attention of powerful people, and potentially their ire as well. These individuals are now targets to be hunted down, prey for those who would seek to increase their fortune through the death or capture of others. All of these names are posted within the underground “Bingo Book,” a collection of names and information on the powerful forces that have influenced the world. These books are often updated with new names and faces, but they all have one thing in common: a price on their head. Yes, those who are within this Bingo Book are now given a monetary value on capture or kill, and it is up to the hunters to fulfill their contract and earn their bounty.

The Bounty System now involves individuals taking a “hunt” on a target in the Bingo Book. To prevent a character from being swarmed for bounty hunts, an application to hunt a target must be placed. This is done by posting an application within the Bounty Board of the Black Market. This application requests express permission to hunt a target, essentially claiming it as the hunter’s own. This application will be reviewed by the moderating staff and will either be approved or denied. If it is denied, then your claim is rejected, and another player may make a claim for the target instead.

If it is approved, however, you will be given a one-month period to start a battle with a target, either in an adventure or training thread with the host’s permission, or in a PVP. During this period and after a confrontation is started within the time limit, the target is no longer available for hunting, and cannot be targeted. Permission will generally be on a case-by-case basis for a hunt. Fairness will be one of the primary reasons that an application will either be accepted or rejected; targeting an individual who is notably weaker than yourself (say, a Class 1 individual challenging a Class 3 one) will often get rejected, as will repeatedly targeting a character even after a hunt has been resolved (see below).

Once the hunt is accepted, the target in question must either answer to a PVP challenge, or else ask to default. If the target defaults, then the bounty is treated as cleared with the target defeated. However, doing so will not only result in half the reward for the successful hunter, but additionally, the target’s Bounty Points (see below) are decreased by 1. If the battle completes, however, then rewards are given as per normal, with an additional reward given to the victor based on the rank of the target challenged.

Upon the end of the thread, if the hunter is victorious, then they receive the bounty according to their target’s Rank, either in Ryo or in TP, as listed below. If the hunted is victorious, however, then the target gains half of the bounty as a reward for themselves, and additionally get one Bounty Point (BP) point. BP are important, showing that the individual in question may have been taken too lightly by previous hunters, and as a result may be worth a higher rank. By earning 5 total BP, an individual’s rank will immediately go up by one rank. However, if one loses enough BP by continually defaulting against hunts,it is possible to lose a rank. This occurs any time an individual drops below 0 BP. Any time a rank is changed, whether via attaining enough BP or gaining an altered rank via storyline impact, BP is reset to 0. The only exception is when one loses a rank from BP loss; at this point, the individual is set to 4/5 BP to the next rank, and has a chance to redeem themselves. Once a hunt is complete, the target in question may not be applied for again for a month, starting at the end of the previous Bounty thread.

Onto the ranks themselves. Targets are divided into a system of various ranks, with associated reward. Ranks vary from C at the lowest to SSS at the highest, marking their power and potential threat. A C-Rank individual is worth a bounty of either 500 TP or 5,000 Ryo, while a B-Rank individual is worth a bounty of either 800 TP or 8,000 Ryo. An A-Rank individual is worth a bounty of either 1,200 TP or 12,000 Ryo, while an S-Rank individual is worth a bounty of either 1,500 TP or 15,000 Ryo. Finally, an SS-Rank individual is worth a bounty of either 3,000 TP or 30,000 Ryo, and an SSS-Rank individual is worth a bounty of either 6,000 TP or 60,000 Ryo.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Lenience and Retirement

These are smaller announcements compared to the other system overhauls, but nonetheless they are ones that still bear their own importance.

The first announcement is the retirement of inactive characters. Our staff will be removing characters who are considered long-inactive and putting them into temporary retirement within the Graveyard area; should the players return, their characters will be waiting, but we will be updating our “Accepted” lists to include only those who are currently active or have been inactive for only a short period. If you find one of your characters is incorrectly moved to the Graveyard, or you have returned and wish to un-retire a character, please contact the staff, and we will get you working again. High-ranking positions will remain held by even retired players until someone steps in to fill their spot, taken as plot NPCs by the staff in order to keep the appearance of authority for the various positions.

The second announcement is the increased lenience of those who wish to apply for higher-level positions. We have had a dearth of high-ranked positions lately, particularly among Soul Society’s Captains and the Espada, and as a result we are hoping to provide incentive for people to try for them by reducing the requirements for taking such a position. Though we will still require a moderately high level of application quality for taking the positions, we will be easing up on the restrictions and will be offering ways to improve applications to help promote people to higher-ranked positions.