Editing SOTDL: Pitch (section)

==The Five (5) Act Story Arc==
This game is designed to facilitate an ongoing campaign, but I have set it up to do so in an episodic fashion of individual story arcs that generally lead in the direction of the building troubles of the setting at large.

There is a certain expectation of attrition in PBP games, and this creates regularly spaced opportunities for new players to join along the way.
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Each arc is divided into (usually) five (5) acts made up of multiple scenes (however many suits the pace and action at hand). 
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Typically, '''Act 1''' functions as the investigative act. The characters have some inkling what is on the horizon, and they begin to prepare to meet it, researching as they can and gearing up, hiring folk if that seems needed, etc. Act 1 is a usually the slowest act in regards to conflict and confrontation, so it is a good time to start building up your allotment of plot points in anticipation of the action to come.
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'''Act 2''' usually sees the characters, newly armed with knowledge, supplies, and other assets, getting into place. This might mean travel or infiltrating an unsuspecting place, etc. Lots of skill challenges here focused on overcoming environmental obstacles.
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'''Act 3''' sees the beginnings of whatever confrontation the PCs have dreamed up and very often shows the things they were unable to plan for. Opposed action begins in earnest, and the PCs may need to regroup before all is said and done.

<u>'''At the end of Act 3'''</u>, the PCs get their first XP award of the arc. Each player decides if they will spend that XP immediately or bank it to spend later, but it provides an opportunity for a power bump before the heavy action begins in earnest.
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'''Act 4''' is generally where the conflict kicks into full gear. This is where I usually begin spending GM plot points in earnest and start putting my the higher powered GMCs into the story (well, not put them ''in'' per se do much as reveal their capabilities more fully). Typically, Act 4 is where the PCs rally and start to turn the tide. This is where the outcome of the conflict and the climax of the story will be determined.
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Finally, '''Act 5''' is here we mop up the extraneous threads of the story and either tie them off or realize they will likely be seen again in some future story. At the end of Act 5, the PCs get their second XP award. Again, it is up to each player to decide whether to spend or bank that XP.
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'''Note:''' There are no restrictions on when a player can spend banked XP. There is effectively zero downtime associated with XP spends in this medium (unlike f2f games where everyone has to stop what they are doing if one person wants to buy an upgrade). 

Cotex isn't class based, so timing doesn't really matter, and IMO, PBP games come with enough random hiccups to go adding an obviously unnecessary one.
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