Livedragonballz.com -The longest lasting, most in-depth, text based DBZ RPG around!
Title
Description
Live Dragonball Z is a role-playing game based in the Dragonball Z universe. Players may assume the role of any character they create, though we are the first, and possibly only, DBZ RPG that does not allow characters from the show. LDBZ is an extremely involved game that requires a high level of dedication to play. The majority of the current members have been playing since November 2006 and a few of those have been playing since May of 2005. An estimated 90% of the game relies on the players providing stories which are basically the written-out acts of their character. That is what is known as role-playing. The goal of LDBZ is to provide as in-depth and rich a Dragonball Z environment as possible while still allowing for as much freedom for the player as possible. This is accomplished by setting as few general guidelines for the gameplay as possible and then continuing to modify these guidelines as more players bring in new ideas. LDBZ is set 1000 years after the death of Frieza.
Description provided by Riddek | talk 17:07, 23 October 2007 (PDT)
Additional Information
The AboutUs personality known as Riddek is the owner of Live Dragonball Z.
LDBZ started in November of 1999 as http://thebestrpg.homestead.com by using the then free website builder, Homestead. Riddek had grown tired of the numerous other DBZ RPG's around the net that always seemed to start one week and end the next and had decided he was going to make his own and it was going to be the best. So at age 14 he made his own, and while it was very fun, it was certainly not the best! Riddek also soon found out why most of the other DBZ RPG's were very short-lived; it was a lot of work, especially for an undisciplined freshmen in high school. This first "round", as the sequences of playing have been named, lasted three months. From then (January of 2000) until July of 2002 the game proceeded in an off-again on-again (albeit mostly off-again) manner until Riddek finally decided a major change was needed. In July of 2002 Riddek set to implement those major changes.
These changes were slowly (very, very slowly) implemented from July 2002 until January 2004. In January of 2004 Riddek re-opened the site early in anticipation of the new changes. Opening before the changes had been completed ended up being a huge mistake. Very few people joined and those who did were left floundering around the site unsure of how to play. This round utterly failed and left Riddek despairing over his website. Also, in the middle of this time, Homestead became a pay-for website builder which is when http://thebestrpg.homestead.com became http://www.livedragonballz.com
In September of 2004 Riddek started completing the site with a renewed vigor and on May 1st, 2005, Live Dragonball Z was 100% operational (due to the changing nature of the game, LDBZ will never be 100% complete. The word "operational" is being used to its fullest extent of the definition.). The next round started May 4th, 2005 and lasted until December of 2006, a whopping 19 months. At this time a large (relatively speaking) amount of new members had joined and many new changes were taking place, thus it was decided by the majority to restart the game to allow everyone a fresh and equal start. The new round started January 1st of 2007 and is still being played with no end in sight.
In January of 2007, Heimal, a member of LDBZ since May of 2005 (known as Kyushin Juku until December of 2006), joined the Staff of Live Dragonball Z to help Riddek with the site. Since Heimal joined, in May of 2005, he has contributed a tremendous amount of new ideas and improvements and was the perfect candidate for helping with the management aspect of the site. Since moving into a staff position Heimal has been of monumental help in running the game, especially when Riddek just plain needed a break or life outside of the internet caused impossibilties in upkeep of the site. Heimal even single handedly kept the site running in the summer of 2007 due to Riddek having more important personal responsibilities to take care of. Riddek has since returned the favor to Heimal. In fact, Riddek and Heimal complement each other nicely when it comes to one of them taking over when the other needs time away from the site.
In June of 2007 the member known as Phoxx became Marius and at that time he took on the mantle of Visual Designer. On top of working hard to create the color scheme for the message board, he created the two banners currently in use on the main site and there are plans for more, smaller, improvements.
Additional Information provided by Riddek | talk 17:08, 23 October 2007 (PDT)
Community Reviews
- If you happen to be a member of LDBZ please take a moment to write a review for the site and/or game. If you are not a member perhaps you can take a moment to view the site and give any thoughts you might have. All constructive criticism is welcomed! Riddek | talk 17:13, 23 October 2007 (PDT)
~MaximillionT's Review~
I've been a member off and on, my inconsistancy due more to my unpleasant internet connection than to any fault of the sites. I can say this with a great deal of conviction, since I was welcomed with open arms each and every time I joined the site.
My only displeasure with the site was that my decade of Site Administration skills weren't considered in my application to be Staff there, but again this wasn't one of the factors I use in determining a site's worth. Sometimes you're able to help and contribute to the creation and development of a game you like, sometimes you're not.
What really stood out about LDBZ was how friendly and cooperative the Staff are. While most DBZRPGs have a Staff Roster of uncooperative, unpleasant folks, LDBZ consists of some of the coolest, most laid-back administrators and Staff a Roleplayer could ask for.
The game system is very well thought-out and complex, based on a variety of factors that have proven successes to many of the games that preceded LDBZ, but with none of the bugs or flaws. Although it is a work in progress (as ANY decent game will be), I continue to have high hopes for the games, knowing that this game's potential continues to grow and be realised through more and more years of operation.
Definitely a game I would recommend a friend to. Maximillion | talk 14:18, October 24, 2007
~Krethean's Review~
I have been a member since the start of the newest round and I've personally enjoyed the absolute freedom in what you can do. The stats system, techniques, time flow... all these help make it as true to the series as possible without making it one-sided.
It does still have things to sort out but this is one of the better games or RPing boards I've been to.
Among the joyful banter and mind games from clashing members ICly, folks can pass the time to complete their actions by talking about other things, like most other sites... which is something great.
A great feature in my opinion is the ability to make custom techniques. These are subject to the public eye, especially since they're most likely learnable by all unless restrictions can be justified, and eventually accepted or rejected.
The Technique list is expansive and there's plenty of room for more.
The staff are always up for ideas to fix or improve gameplay for everyone, and opinions are by and large valued. Only headache is the number of folks who ignore the rules regarding joining...
Thumbs up here! Krethean 21:03, October 23, 2007
- Just a clarification of what ICly means; IC means In Character and Krethean is referring how members' characters clash with each other in the game. Riddek | talk 14:18, 24 October 2007 (PDT)
~Heimal's Review~
Well, I've been a member since May of 2005, and as mentioned above, I'm an Admin on the site. The evolution of the game has been great to watch, and great to be a part of, and we're always on the look out for new, good ideas. There's lots of work involved in being a part of LDBZ, but those of us who've stuck it out seriously believe it's worth it.
If you like action AND adventure and you're not scared of a little work, look us up and we'll show you the ropes. Heimal 21:31, October 23, 2007
~Jaiden's Review~
I've been a member of the site since October of 2006. In February of 2008, I became an administrator for the game and have helped the site run smoothly when Riddek and Heimal are busy. The gameplay is great and is virtually unlimited in the ways that you can approach it. There are only two administrators on the site as of now (Heimal and Riddek), but the site runs basically like how a democracy should run. If someone, even a member has an idea, they bring it up and everyone discusses it.
The game does require a lot of work at times, but it is all worth it. Unlike many role-playing games out there, LDBZ allows for just about anything you can imagine. If you have patience, time, and the will to play a constantly changing game, LDBZ is for you. Jaiden | talk 14:18, October 24, 2007
External Links
- Live Dragonball Z Message Board: LDBZ Forum
- Live Dragonball Z How-to-Play section: How-to-Play
- Join the game! Join!