Gameplay Types & Viewpoints

Introduction

Ilodium is a layered narrative and strategic roleplaying project that supports multiple gameplay formats and narrative perspectives. This guide outlines the officially supported Modes of Play and Views, to assist GMs (Game Masters), AGMs (Assistant Game Masters), and players in designing, running, or participating in scenes, arcs, and campaigns.

Whether you prefer collaborative fiction, structured roleplay, tactical war games, or a mix of all three, Ilodium offers tools and frameworks to support your style of play. Understanding how these modes intersect with the different in-universe perspectives—or Views—ensures consistent storytelling and mechanical clarity across the project.

A note on commitment and expectations: Ilodium, at its core, will only work when everyone is here because they want to be. There is no room for judgment or expectation, and no minimum or maximum time requirements. We only ask that you are mindful of your availability when you join in on something. That said, life always comes first.
You may see references to post/turn timelines; these are intended to allow the story to flow and continue for the community. If a turn or more passes without your character or faction after you joined in, a GM will do their best to move the story forward without impact on your character/faction. If that's not possible, and they feel a reasonable time has passed, they may, at their discretion, describe actions to move things forward or extricate you from the scene in as low an impact way as possible. If you come back at any time in the future, you're welcome to rejoin the thread!

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Views

Ilodium supports three primary Views, which define the scale and lens through which events are experienced and adjudicated.

Character View

• Scope: Individual or small group focus
• Resolution: Moment-to-moment actions
• Usage: Traditional roleplaying (dialogue, social interaction, infiltration, boarding actions)
• Common Formats: Live Play, Narrative Collaboration, Structured Roleplay

Tactical View

• Scope: Unit-level combat and maneuvers (ships, squads, mechs)
• Resolution: Turn-by-turn engagements using maps or structured battlefields
• Usage: Fleet battles, ground engagements, special ops raids
• Common Formats: Live Play (in person or with VTT), Structured Roleplay - possible using World Anvil maps with movable pins

Strategic View

• Scope: Faction-level planning and operations
• Resolution: Days to years per post, with high-level decisions abstracted into outcomes
• Usage: Interstellar policy, warfare, trade, colonization, espionage
• Common Formats: Narrative Collaboration, Structured Roleplay

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Modes of Play

Ilodium supports multiple Modes of Play. Each mode defines how scenes are run, how mechanics are enforced (if at all), and the expectations for GMs, AGMs, and players.

Narrative Collaboration (Freeform)

Type: Asynchronous, collaborative fiction
Ruleset: Minimal – subject to creation and conduct guidelines
Views Supported: Character View or Strategic View

Description:
This mode emphasizes shared storytelling without mechanical constraints. Players and GMs co-author scenes or campaigns by writing prose posts, either in-character or from a factional perspective. Time may be abstracted (e.g., one post = one week), and outcomes are agreed upon collaboratively or lightly facilitated by a GM or AGM.

GM/AGM Role:

• Establish tone, timeframe, and scenario boundaries
• Moderate pacing and participant alignment
• Adjudicate disagreements or conflicting actions if needed
• Create Session Report(s), and any other World Anvil content as needed

Best For:

• World-building
• Political drama
• Large-scale strategic arcs
• Non-combat scenes

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Structured Roleplay

Type: Asynchronous, rules-informed storytelling
Ruleset: Moderate to Full – character sheets, dice rolls, turn structure
Views Supported: Character View, Tactical View, or Strategic View

Description:
This mode blends narrative play with structured mechanics. Posts represent discrete turns or scenes, and actions may require dice rolls or rulebook adjudication. GMs actively run the session, using character sheets, initiative orders, or system-specific rules to resolve outcomes.

GM/AGM Role:

• Control pacing and adjudicate rolls
• Provide prompts, challenges, and branching outcomes
• Track resources, initiative, or battle maps (where applicable)
• Create Session Report(s), and any other World Anvil content as needed

Best For:

• PvP or contested conflict resolution
• Dungeon delves or tactical ship boarding
• Operations with resource limits or mechanical tension

Live Play

Type: Synchronous, real-time session-based gameplay
Ruleset: Moderate to Full
Views Supported: Character or Tactical Views

Description:
Live Play occurs in real-time, either in person or over voice/video chat with optional use of Virtual Tabletops (VTTs). This mode includes classic RPG sessions, tactical battles, and fleet-level command engagements. Rules are enforced strictly, and dice rolls are expected to be made using in-server tools such as Avrae.

GM/AGM Role:

• Full scenario control and live adjudication
• May prepare maps, scenarios, stat blocks, initiative
• Run session start-to-finish with active roleplay and dice management
• Create Session Report(s), and any other World Anvil content as needed

Best For:

• Character-centric one-shots and campaign arcs
• Tactical ship battles or ground operations
• Time-sensitive strategic negotiations or crises
• Hybrid playstyles blending combat and narrative

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Running a Scene or Campaign

GMs and AGMs are encouraged to create scenes, arcs or campaigns using any of the Viewpoints or modes of play. AGMs should seek input from a GM before creating a high-impact scene or arc that may have larger world implications.
When posting a scene in the #missions-and-events forum, declare with the title:

• In-Game Date and Time scene or event is beginning
• Title
• Location

Using Tags

• Mode of Play
• View being used
• Whether the thread/event is open for all, or restricted at AGM discretion
• Type i.e. Combat, Politics, Exploration

This upfront clarity ensures player expectations are aligned and allows the moderation team to support the scene effectively.

Example Post:
"2105-03-12 11:45 UTC Infiltration at Luna City | Luna Orbit/Surface

Tags: Structured Roleplay, Character View, Open, Combat