tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Feb 9, 2015 20:53:40 GMT -8
The bedraggled and waterlogged PCs are standing in a travel agency, dripping on the carpet in their touristy Hawaiian shirts. Having barely survived the kaiju attack on their cruise liner, they're looking for some compensation. And of course, they get a FREE CRUISE... what could go wrong with that one?
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Feb 9, 2015 9:37:25 GMT -8
So they all sat around and watched me make characters, I shit you not I sat and made EVERYONES characters by myself. Yipes, sound horrid. If they aren't excited about making the characters, that's a problem, cause they aren't going to be excited about their characters. I don't think making their PCs for them is going to solve anything, IMO. Although maybe they did like the process, you just didn't like babying them? Could it be that the system and its mechanics is overwhelming? (I don't know your players so could be completely off-base here.) I am definitely skewed towards mechanic-light systems, and the thought of going through a PHB for me is not exciting, even though I like RPGs. Maybe something lighter for them like Dungeon World? That's worked well for my players who don't like mechanics. And if you really want to play D&D, you could always use something like Dungeon World (or other very light system that you know) to get a game going and see if the players are interested. If they aren't, you've made minimum investment. If they are into the game, you could transfer their characters for them to D&D for campaign play (although I like Dungeon World for campaigns myself). Alternatively you've got what mook did with a series of questions that the player answers, that then inform you on the mechanics in the game. That would take work if you haven't already designed that, but you could do something similar, like have a session where everyone gets together and loosely discusses what they want to play, and you organically create some characters around that (sans mechanics), and then get mechanics in there. I mean, if that doesn't solve the problem, it could be you've got players who just don't want to play.
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Feb 8, 2015 22:31:50 GMT -8
I like the fail forward mechanic of Dungeon World. I'd probably use that in any D&D game I ran... fail a skill check? Make that shit interesting, and oh, get some experience points. I'd probably also steal something like Bonds. I like that it is mechanical oriented in that you get experience points each session for living up to them. Similar to "alignment". I also like that alignment is not about exactly where you sit on some cosmic scale, but instead informs your general morals or outlook, and again, if you play to it there is a mechanical (experience point) reward. Small rewards for roleplaying in ways that otherwise may be detrimental to your survivability, but beneficial in story. So yah, all that would come along to D&D land.
At a certain point you'd probably say, "well, why even play D&D then??" To which you'd be right. I probably wouldn't. But like SW bennies, once you have fun with those mechanics, it's hard to leave them behind!
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Feb 6, 2015 8:42:47 GMT -8
A super villian with super powers walks into hero headquarters, walks up to the front desk, and announces that he has come to "turn himself in". He's just initiated a chain of events that will cause the Earth to implode.
Front desk: "Stay right where you are...an agent will be with you shortly."
Who are the agents? The PCs, of course.
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 30, 2015 14:23:51 GMT -8
In my experience when you are making a sandbox campaign, keep an eye on the scale. I second this so much. I'm running my first real sandbox style campaign, and I think having some overarching events in your region is a good thing, but (taking a page from Dungeon World) leave lots of blanks on your map. Leave lots of unknowns so you can define those later, and then make them actual relevant at that point. Do the workers unionize? I mean, that may be fantastic for some games. But there is no need to have this level of detail for most games, and I think you are risking burning out (unless you really enjoy that level of detail) and more importantly: you may be too attached to those details, instead of attached to the flow of the game. However to that end I often think of things like that in world building, and just leave it in the back of my head, so if it becomes relevant, or interesting, or I need something to delay the PCs for good end, then I can grab it then and there.
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 30, 2015 14:16:57 GMT -8
I think I'm going to have to look into this book, thanks tyler ! We read it and talked about it last year on Your Book Is Why Daddy Drinks. It was an average book that had its issues, but the setting was a great idea. I'm hoping Sanderson does more with it and improves it. I'm always amazed when I hear that Branderson sometimes sucks (isn't awesome), because all I've read of his is The Way of Kings (and now the sequel) and it's so fucken amazing. Talk about excellent world building, and great characters, and epic story. Shit. Sad to hear he's not always so awesome, but I guess I'll go see for myself one of these days...
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 29, 2015 16:38:49 GMT -8
Another Additional Edit: OK stork. You redeemed yourself a bit with that "be a fan of the players' characters" line. That's one of the core principles in Powered by the Apocalypse games. Whoa! He didn't even use the word "redacted" once... someone's feeling empowered!
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 29, 2015 16:36:24 GMT -8
DUDE - I love these, and your past games. Really make me wish I hadn't bequeathed my metric fuck-ton of Legos to a nephew a few years back! Crap, get those Legos back! Actually, if anyone wants to donate to my stash, I'll take anything. Shit, give me a bunch of old Legos and I'll run the game for you and your mates in payment. After this project I'm running low... Fortunately we've got a Lego store in Glendale that's got the wall of bricks; I needed a shit ton of those flat pieces. The ship is almost entirely spec'd out. Now I'm on to character sheets (also in Lego), and more design stuff. Damn, I haven't been this excited (and exhausted) making a game since last year.
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 22, 2015 22:37:06 GMT -8
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 22, 2015 9:43:03 GMT -8
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 21, 2015 15:27:08 GMT -8
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 21, 2015 14:34:19 GMT -8
Another thing I like to do with pregens is to let the player customize hindrances: give them 2 or 3 major hindrances and let them pick one (circle it on the sheet, and tell you). Give them a list of 5 minor hindrances and pick 2, that sort of thing. (it doesn't require much in the way of system mastery/knowledge - won't break your character, and gives the player some buy-in on 'their' character). Sometimes I also give them a knowledge or two that they can select as well to help flesh out their character. I'm with you here. Another strategy is to have a pool of hindrance and let the PCs select from those. Once someone has one, it's therefore unavailable to everyone else. Instead of providing any hindrance in the book, only list those that you are pertinent to the game, or feel like they'll have some impact in the story. This prevents the following problem: 6 PCs with 3 hindrance each = 18 hindrance that you have to distribute if you don't want overlap. If instead you have PCs with 3 hindrance each and there is overlap on the character sheets, then you may have a situation where more than one PC chooses the same hindrance (not necessarily a problem, but may not be what you're after).
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 20, 2015 13:41:30 GMT -8
As per usual, I give thanks to my wife who can give a shit about Valentine's Day... huzzah!
OK, game is registered. I guess that means I need to complete it. I mean build it. And I'm hoping I have enough Legos.
Sirs, who's a goin', and what are you excited about?
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 19, 2015 19:17:45 GMT -8
If you enjoy Descent you should check out Shadows of Brimstone. Which is basically a Deadlands dungeon crawl board game Was a kickstarter, yes? I backed it (almost as much for all the western miniatures) but haven't received it yet... can you actually get that game yet?
|
|
tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
|
Post by tomes on Jan 17, 2015 22:42:37 GMT -8
|
|