Unknown setting roleplay?

[Prospero]

There's a style of fiction that I thought would make for very interesting roleplaying, but I don't know how it would be set-up. Basically, in shows like Lost, The Prisoner, Missing Persons, etc. ordinary (or perhaps not so ordinary) people are put into uncanny circumstances. This seems like it would be a rich ground for roleplaying, as the characters would need to work to discover things about their environment and each other. One immediate hurdle I see is sharing enough info to get players, yet not too much to ruin the plot. For instance, in a world like the Matrix, it would make for interesting roleplaying to get drawn into the world and be legitimately shocked by what was discovered. Maybe the character would break down, and not want to learn kung fu and fight the machines. It would be cool to see what people's characters did in the moment, without planning out in advance what would happen in that setting. Another variation of this is the "unknown character", where something critical about the character is unknown to the character himself or herself (The Sixth Sense and The Others come to mind). Again, you run into the situation where attracting interest vs. keeping details a secret would be a challenge, otherwise players would be "on the lookout" for clues. Anyway, just curious if people have played with this type of rpg here or elsewhere. Thanks for reading!

[LawOfTheLand]

Withholding information from potential players due to the fact that the plot calls for the characters to familiarize themselves with terra incognita is a delicate balancing act. Too much and you risk metagaming. Too little and you risk players not joining in the first place.

One approach that could work is to mix facts with exaggerated versions thereof in the form of rumors, myths, and urban legends. This naturally compels some players to find out for themselves which is which using the good old scientific method of observation and experiment, which is exactly what you want with a story like this. (Explosives a la Mythbusters are entirely optional but certainly encouraged.)

[Prospero]

As I read the RP descriptions out there, it seems like the setting and story are more driven by the characters people create; people like to have a chance to be someone new that they've taken time to develop. I think I'd need more experience running RPG's online to find the right balance, so I'm not forcing setting and story on people and not limiting their creativity. RP gives an opportunity for open ended play, and it seems like the setting is the spark, where the focus is what that setting allows the players to create.

[Anonym0109]

This has always been a question in advertising thing like movies and videogames. I was considering something like an RP based on the Cube movies. I'm not a fan of gore movies, but it's a bunch of strangers thrown together, put in a strange place, pit against completely unknown dangers, no idea how they got there, no idea why they're there, given nothing to use except for the same grey jumpsuits the all wake in. What scenario is more perfect for such unadulterated character development?
I would advertise a roleplay like that, much in the way I just described those films. I would tell the audience only of the here and now. Tell them their characters' Point A. Tell them that there is a mystery afoot and tell them to rest assured that you, the DM, have it all worked out and may or may not drop clues (whether or not you actually intend to) as time goes on. If you plan on misleading your RPers or leaving them blind permanently, tell them that you will give clues, but drop only compromised or confounding evidence.
For something like The Matrix where you only want your players to start off blind, but then rapidly develop into a very concrete story, I would emphasize a promise to the players that they will be thrilled if they just put some faith forward, do as I say, and just follow the goddamed rabbit.
Either way, your main target audience will be the adventurous types who are willing to dive blind into a mystery. Ask people to take a chance on you and apply the appropriate tags without anything too specific.

[LSunday]

As stated above, I would think. I know I would be very interested in doing a roleplay like that, but I don't really know how you would go about finding one. Especially for starting out blind- even just asking someone to trust you will put them on-guard. It's an interesting conundrum, because the people likely to be brought in by an 'Everyday Life' roleplay are not the same ones that would be interested in an action-adventure type, and I don't know how you can really do something like that.

However, if you do get one started, I would be more than happy to join it.

[Tea]

There's a style of fiction that I thought would make for very interesting roleplaying, but I don't know how it would be set-up. Basically, in shows like Lost, The Prisoner, Missing Persons, etc. ordinary (or perhaps not so ordinary) people are put into uncanny circumstances. This seems like it would be a rich ground for roleplaying, as the characters would need to work to discover things about their environment and each other.

Trying to be...polite as much as possible I will provide only a few sentiments. The first is that the only appropriate way to handle such a situation as this is for one person to be designated the GameMaster and to then slowly reveal the setting to the characters and their players. Players should not be given the latitude or liberty to define Setting and Cosmology unless there is a significant level of trust between the people behind the characters. Of course, it also takes a certain measure of trust for players to let a certain GameMaster lead them on some kind of thematic exploration. And, well, "Woe to he who betrays such trust."

Also, about your thoughts related to hurdles, secrets, and information: Good role-players know what meta-playing is. The best role-players never meta-play. You might seek out the kind of role-players that do not meta- or power-play.