|
Post by Stu Venable on Jul 20, 2013 12:41:01 GMT -8
Happy Jacks Season 10 Episode 07
Your hosts: Stu, Stork, CADave, Hosier Rob (and Claire for a bit!)
Show notes: We discus adapting material from one game system to another, but mostly it ends up being about characters. Eric from Metagamers Anonymous writes in talking about hacking and house ruling game systems.
General Insertion Joe writes in about an epic series by Philip Reeve, where cities roam North America and eat each other, and he asks how this can be built in GURPS.
Jonas chimes in on players playing disadvantages and how he likes to encourage it. Karsten regales us with tales of woe of game conventions in Germany. And Sizik relates a convention game story with an awesome GM.
|
|
sizik
Initiate Douchebag
Posts: 7
|
Post by sizik on Jul 20, 2013 21:45:34 GMT -8
You left off the PPS at the end of my email (hence the psych, since I concluded with "That's all I have to say").
"P.P.S. The GM never even asked about the exact details of my boots, and I suspect that even if I had failed that agility check, I would have made to to the airship anyway, but just barely clinging on to the side instead of landing on deck, or something like that."
|
|
|
Post by CreativeCowboy on Jul 21, 2013 8:36:38 GMT -8
I understand it is not entrapment if you finish. Then it is undercover work. Somebody's going to do it and somebody has to be there to let them catch it. So, no entrapment. But there might be a lawsuit based upon bait and switch. Did I understand you used the library of congress? Were the perps on a Roladex, like an Adult Friendfinder? I have just heard listened to sizik's eMail about the **CENSORED**. I have a player who is constantly worried about this mechanical minutia - which likely impassions my **CENSORED** opinion. Until I had heard it through, "that's not the question you want to ask me," I was of the same horrified first impression. Now I know what I will say to the player. And I know the reason why to say it. The player has to let go of the spoon in my game. That won't mean he will succeed, sizik. But it means, as far as I can understand this new phrase for my RPG commonplace book, that he will be in the game rather than at the game. The minutia might be his daily focus or it might be the way to hide his character from the adversarial relationships he has experienced with other DMs he played with 10+ years ago back home. Those kinds of psychological scars never really heal when they're misattributed to systems instead of the GM. Thank you for the eMail sizik, and thank you HappyJacks for bringing it to my attention.
|
|
|
Post by Forresst on Jul 21, 2013 16:00:17 GMT -8
Dear Happy Jacks: I speak fluent French. I don't live near you, but if you write down the title of the book you need translated, I will check with the FLGS in Quebec City and see if I can get it delivered. I still have a little bit of leftover gift credit with them, it would probably only cost me a couple dollars for stamps
|
|
|
Post by Kainguru on Jul 22, 2013 7:43:43 GMT -8
Trolls? Trolls??? We have trolls on the forum?? They're doing a shit job as far as trolls go . . . in fact I'd go so far as to ask for some more please . . . BTW: pretty sure who Saque P is now, the humour is a dead give away Aaron
|
|
nanoboy
Journeyman Douchebag
Posts: 142
|
Post by nanoboy on Jul 22, 2013 10:11:55 GMT -8
GURPS Spaceships (a 4th Edition product) has rules that could be adapted to giant city-on-city action. You could also consider GURPS Mass Combat. Like Stu was saying, though, only worry about the particulars of the giant cities, if the players are in control. If they're trying to sabotage the city's reactor in the midst of battle, the city (moving or not) is a map. If the players have significant control over a city, then you may consider granting control. Mostly, try to avoid making a bunch of rolls that the players have nothing to do with.
|
|
|
Post by muntjack on Jul 22, 2013 10:45:32 GMT -8
Just wanted to say it was nice hearing from Claire. It's always good to switch up the commentary and perspectives.
|
|
sbloyd
Supporter
WHAT! A human in a Precursor service vehicle?!
Posts: 2,762
Preferred Game Systems: Storyteller; Dresden; Mage
Favorite Species of Monkey: Goddamnit, Curious George is a CHIMP not a monkey! Stop teaching my daughter improper classification!
|
Post by sbloyd on Jul 22, 2013 10:48:14 GMT -8
Man... GURPS Vehicles. That was a math fest there. Very flexible, though, from bicycles to powered armor.
|
|
D.T. Pints
Instigator
JACKERCON 2018: WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY June 22-July 1st
Posts: 2,857
Currently Playing: D&D 5e, Pathfinder, DUNGEONWORLD, Star Wars Edge of the Empire
Currently Running: DUNGEONWORLD, PATHFINDER
|
Post by D.T. Pints on Jul 22, 2013 13:11:57 GMT -8
Ahoy bastards! Figured I post this here and in general to be really fucking annoying... Soooo, after listening to hjrp1007 I loved General Insertlon Joes email. And because I have a brilliant wife who works at the local bookstore she found the Mortal Engines book right away. It looks fantastic steam punk ish young adult book. This has lead me to ask one more time if He Who Holds The Forum Hammer...might consider creating an inspirational media section. Where good books, good movies, podcasts, etc. could be collected as a Jacker collection as a must read/see. Along those lines Myke Cole's Shadow Ops also look good!
|
|
merryprankster
Journeyman Douchebag
Posts: 243
Favorite Species of Monkey: Howler
|
Post by merryprankster on Jul 22, 2013 16:45:19 GMT -8
Trolls? Trolls??? We have trolls on the forum?? They're doing a shit job as far as trolls go . . . in fact I'd go so far as to ask for some more please . . . BTW: pretty sure who Saque P is now, the humour is a dead give away Aaron Seriously! The trolls around here are pathetic. They really need to apply themselves more if they want to live up the the reputation of the internets.
|
|
|
Post by Kainguru on Jul 22, 2013 17:05:26 GMT -8
Trolls? Trolls??? We have trolls on the forum?? They're doing a shit job as far as trolls go . . . in fact I'd go so far as to ask for some more please . . . BTW: pretty sure who Saque P is now, the humour is a dead give away Aaron Seriously! The trolls around here are pathetic. They really need to apply themselves more if they want to live up the the reputation of the internets. Yeah, we do a better trolling ourselves when we're just shooting shit. Serious application and effort is expected and requested from current trolls - mid term report should read 'C for Achievement C for Effort, maybe with application and paying attention troll might improve his grade but he has long way to go if he believes he has to the potential to truly impress'. Aaron PS: an Australian report card would simply read : 'lazy cunt not worth the effort'.
|
|
|
Post by gina on Jul 22, 2013 17:09:09 GMT -8
Happy Jacks Season 10 Episode 07 Your hosts: Stu, Stork, CADave, Hosier Rob (and Claire for a bit!) Show notes: We discus adapting material from one game system to another, but mostly it ends up being about characters. Eric from Metagamers Anonymous writes in talking about hacking and house ruling game systems. Huh, that was interesting... Are ya'll worried that this is a topic because Stu's got that familiar itch for some game/system-strange? Or is this DnD 4.0 PTSD... Cuz I thought it was just a topic about porting a game from one system to another. Still listening. ;)
|
|
HyveMynd
Supporter
Dirty hippie, PbtA, Fate, & Cortex Prime <3er
Posts: 2,273
Preferred Game Systems: PbtA, Cortex Plus, Fate, Ubiquity
Currently Playing: Monsterhearts 2
Currently Running: The Sprawl
Favorite Species of Monkey: None
|
Post by HyveMynd on Jul 22, 2013 17:14:15 GMT -8
stork man, I love you (as much as someone can love someone they only know as a disembodied voice on the internet, and not in that way) but I think you and I have different viewpoints when it comes to GMing. Over the past couple episodes I've repeatedly heard you mention how the players are working against the GM, or are trying to outsmart the GM. As you put it, and I'm paraphrasing here, "the GM sets up the world/situation, and the players try to find ways to get around the obstacles the GM has set up". I fundamentally disagree with that viewpoint, for certain types of games. When preparing the Dungeon World game I just ran for JackerCon, I had no fucking clue how the players would deal with the obstacles they were going to encounter. None. Absolutely zero. The way I see it, that's not even something I should think about. So there's an army of three hundred 10-foot tall warriors between the PCs and the temple they have to get into. How will they get past? Fucked if I know. That's their problem. I could never have predicted the party would be ambushed by a patrol, kill all but one of the warriors, then charm the survivor into taking them straight to the temple thanks to the Wizard's spell. But that's exactly what happened. So the rear entrance to the temple is guarded by six 10-foot warriors in metal animal masks. How will the PCs get into the building? Again, not my problem. I don't even try to think of what the players will do. What GM could have foreseen the Druid shapeshifting into a rock, which is then thrown at a foe by the Bard, with the intention of crushing the poor guy when the Druid shapeshifts into a giant walrus in midair? You can't prepare for that, so why even bother? Monsterhearts requires even less preparation than Dungeon World. The only thing you need to run that came other than the characters sheets is a list of NPC names. And you don't even need that if you're good at pulling names out of your ass. When something needs to happen to push the PCs into taking action or to give them a nasty choice, pick a random name, make a snap decision about that NPCs personality, and get up in the PCs face. "As you turn the corner, you collide with Brenda the head cheerleader, scattering her books everywhere. 'Watch where you're going, you dumb bitch!' she yells at you. Is she always this mean, or did something happen recently between you two?" I literally just made Brenda up on the spot, and have asked the player to detail her. Maybe the player says something like "Oh yeah. She's always a bitch, but is extra mad because she lost her spot as head cheerleader." or "People have been spreading rumors about her giving up her V-card in the backseat of some dude's car." Maybe the player doesn't know why Brenda is so mad. Then it's my job as GM to make another snap decision. "She glares at you and says 'Everyone knows you were getting all touchy-feely with Marcus in Bio last week. Stay the fuck away from my boyfriend you slut." Brenda's up in your face, her finger drilling a hole in your chest. People in the hallway are starting to look at you now. Stopping to watch. What do you do?" Again, I made all that stuff up on the spot. Marcus didn't exist until just now. Did the PC actually get handsy with Brenda's boyfriend in Bio class? That's for them to decide, but Brenda sure thinks they did. Regardless, I have no clue how this situation is going to play out. I didn't plan it, I have no preconceived notions of how the player can diffuse, bypass, or resolve this confrontation. I have no idea what the possible ramifications or consequences of actions taken during this scene are going to have. All of that is found out in play by both the GM and he players. All right. I've plugged my Kumbaya-singing, granola-eating, macrame-weaving games enough for one post. I really do hope to rope you guys into playing at Gateway 2013 so you can see all this stuff in action.
|
|
|
Post by gina on Jul 22, 2013 17:15:28 GMT -8
PS: an Australian report card would simply read : 'lazy cunt not worth the effort'. ^ Like, +1, Favorite, thefuckallofthose...
|
|
|
Post by jazzisblues on Jul 22, 2013 17:16:48 GMT -8
stork man, I love you (as much as someone can love someone they only know as a disembodied voice on the internet, and not in that way) but I think you and I have different viewpoints when it comes to GMing. Over the past couple episodes I've repeatedly heard you mention how the players are working against the GM, or are trying to outsmart the GM. As you put it, and I'm paraphrasing here, "the GM sets up the world/situation, and the players try to find ways to get around the obstacles the GM has set up". I fundamentally disagree with that viewpoint, for certain types of games. When preparing the Dungeon World game I just ran for JackerCon, I had no fucking clue how the players would deal with the obstacles they were going to encounter. None. Absolutely zero. The way I see it, that's not even something I should think about. So there's an army of three hundred 10-foot tall warriors between the PCs and the temple they have to get into. How will they get past? Fucked if I know. That's their problem. I could never have predicted the party would be ambushed by a patrol, kill all but one of the warriors, then charm the survivor into taking them straight to the temple thanks to the Wizard's spell. But that's exactly what happened. So the rear entrance to the temple is guarded by six 10-foot warriors in metal animal masks. How will the PCs get into the building? Again, not my problem. I don't even try to think of what the players will do. What GM could have foreseen the Druid shapeshifting into a rock, which is then thrown at a foe by the Bard, with the intention of crushing the poor guy when the Druid shapeshifts into a giant walrus in midair? You can't prepare for that, so why even bother? Monsterhearts requires even less preparation than Dungeon World. The only thing you need to run that came other than the characters sheets is a list of NPC names. And you don't even need that if you're good at pulling names out of your ass. When something needs to happen to push the PCs into taking action or to give them a nasty choice, pick a random name, make a snap decision about that NPCs personality, and get up in the PCs face. "As you turn the corner, you collide with Brenda the head cheerleader, scattering her books everywhere. 'Watch where you're going, you dumb bitch!' she yells at you. Is she always this mean, or did something happen recently between you two?" I literally just made Brenda up on the spot, and have asked the player to detail her. Maybe the player says something like "Oh yeah. She's always a bitch, but is extra mad because she lost her spot as head cheerleader." or "People have been spreading rumors about her giving up her V-card in the backseat of some dude's car." Maybe the player doesn't know why Brenda is so mad. Then it's my job as GM to make another snap decision. "She glares at you and says 'Everyone knows you were getting all touchy-feely with Marcus in Bio last week. Stay the fuck away from my boyfriend you slut." Brenda's up in your face, her finger drilling a hole in your chest. People in the hallway are starting to look at you now. Stopping to watch. What do you do?" Again, I made all that stuff up on the spot. Marcus didn't exist until just now. Did the PC actually get handsy with Brenda's boyfriend in Bio class? That's for them to decide, but Brenda sure thinks they did. Regardless, I have no clue how this situation is going to play out. I didn't plan it, I have no preconceived notions of how the player can diffuse, bypass, or resolve this confrontation. I have no idea what the possible ramifications or consequences of actions taken during this scene are going to have. All of that is found out in play by both the GM and he players. All right. I've plugged my Kumbaya-singing, granola-eating, macrame-weaving games enough for one post. I really do hope to rope you guys into playing at Gateway 2013 so you can see all this stuff in action. Preach it brother. JiB
|
|