D.T. Pints
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JACKERCON 2018: WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY June 22-July 1st
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Currently Playing: D&D 5e, Pathfinder, DUNGEONWORLD, Star Wars Edge of the Empire
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Post by D.T. Pints on Jul 25, 2013 9:30:05 GMT -8
The biggest difference I've noted is the time limit, and the need to tell some sort of complete story in that time. As far as I'm aware the time limit is only for on air hangouts and there's nothing to stop you immediatley creating a second one to carry the game on in. Not to speak for the boss, but maybe he's implying con games in general. Trying to slam a plot through in four hours ?
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Post by Stu Venable on Jul 25, 2013 9:33:06 GMT -8
I'm talking about convention games in general. Very often your players are already signed up for other games, need a meal break, etc.
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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
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Post by D.T. Pints on Jul 25, 2013 9:52:08 GMT -8
I'm talking about convention games in general. Very often your players are already signed up for other games, need a meal break, etc. Yeah the 8 hour ravenloft game mentioned in the German email made my stomach growl and my bladder hurt (at the same time!). If we can get enough of the cat herd together for another online con this year I will be sure to set up all the slots with :30 min breaks in between and maybe an hour for lunch ? Moonday was mentioning that she will have prepped meals ready to go; that's probably a good sign that we need more breaks .
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Post by Kainguru on Jul 25, 2013 14:19:27 GMT -8
Play testing 'in the flesh' is very different from 'on air - the medium lends itself to a very different style of play. The two things I noticed were a) I use body-language a lot 'in the flesh' and dick with players by rolling random dice etc just to build the tension when I need to, this was kinda hard 'on air' and b) time, or rather the time it takes to achieve a set number of goals, is different 'on air' compared to 'in the flesh'. Aaron PS maxinstuff do you need a fleshlight to see in flesh-space?
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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
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Post by D.T. Pints on Jul 25, 2013 16:40:51 GMT -8
Play testing 'in the flesh' is very different from 'on air - the medium lends itself to a very different style of play. The two things I noticed were a) I use body-language a lot 'in the flesh' and dick with players by rolling random dice etc just to build the tension when I need to, this was kinda hard 'on air' and b) time, or rather the time it takes to achieve a set number of goals, is different 'on air' compared to 'in the flesh'. Aaron PS maxinstuff do you need a fleshlight to see in flesh-space? "In Flesh Space No One Can Hear You Squeal..." The opportunity to fuck with players via Chat (when done secretly ) can really add a whole new level to the game. You can have four different story lines proceeding with the other players none the wiser until that critical moment. This however works much better in a long term campaign. Its a definitely more difficult to juggle all of that crap in just a four hour con game. The paladin in my Pathfinder game would receive just a few random whispers every session. They would start out helpful and then proceed to become more negative, accusatory and paranoia inducing. The big reveal five sessions later was that this was a devil that had taken a liking to the idea of causing a holy warrior to take the big fall. Meanwhile other players would get random messages regarding their observations of the paladin's behavior and play with their concerns of his potential descent into madness. Again, hard to achieve in the 4 hour plot wagon collision. But man with a good slow burn really fun.
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merryprankster
Journeyman Douchebag
Posts: 243
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Post by merryprankster on Jul 25, 2013 18:36:25 GMT -8
I actually thought the chat was great fun in JiB's Jackercon game. It was nice to have the game progress at the same time a the peanut gallery cracked wise. If I remember correctly probably the funniest moment in the whole game started in the chat.
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Post by jazzisblues on Jul 25, 2013 19:01:23 GMT -8
The biggest difference I've noted is the time limit, and the need to tell some sort of complete story in that time. I'm fairly convinced that their software bleeds memory and that's why it augers in after a while. JiB
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HyveMynd
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Post by HyveMynd on Jul 25, 2013 23:47:13 GMT -8
Why do you think it was the system? (I don't know much about the mechanics of Dungeon World). Well, the reason I say that is because of the games I've run, Dungeon World is the one that's most malleable based on player/character action. Other games can be run as sandboxes, but being the hippie game Dungeon World is, the game encourages the GM to simply chuck out entire sections of their prep, or to just shoot from the hip for the entire session.
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sbloyd
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WHAT! A human in a Precursor service vehicle?!
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Post by sbloyd on Jul 26, 2013 3:03:54 GMT -8
Since nobody has touched on it, I'll reiterate the thing that's on my mind right now about con games - the pregen pc's. How do y'all do them? How much detail is too much, in their write ups? How many extras should you make so that there's an element of choice for the players? That sort of thing.
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D.T. Pints
Instigator
JACKERCON 2018: WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY June 22-July 1st
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Post by D.T. Pints on Jul 26, 2013 8:17:22 GMT -8
I actually thought the chat was great fun in JiB's Jackercon game. It was nice to have the game progress at the same time a the peanut gallery cracked wise. If I remember correctly probably the funniest moment in the whole game started in the chat. I'm with the Drunken Platypus. Having that peanut gallery chat option lets everyone be a clown without actually doing much to disrupt the actual flow of the game. Unless that involves some well timed Marvin Gaye... And to address sbloyd's question regarding pre-gens. I think a paragraph of background is usually enough to allow the player to get a quick feel of the character. I would also consider limiting gear and inventory to a few items per character as to not overwhelm the player with info. A good character sheet for a con should probably be able to fit on one page. My Dark Heresy game pre-gen's were two pagers and in the end involved too much information for a four hour con game. Think about the story you would like to have the players involved in and how EACH PC might be able to do something amazing in that story. I personally feel like its very important to craft a con game which allow each player their moment to shine. Cheers, Curt.
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sbloyd
Supporter
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Post by sbloyd on Jul 26, 2013 13:23:15 GMT -8
Thanks, pints. What about including a short primer on game mechanics? Or is that more of a thing you'd cover at the top of the game? Or even just skip it altogether and try to handle all of the mechanics "behind the screen" as it were?
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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
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Post by D.T. Pints on Jul 26, 2013 14:46:59 GMT -8
Thanks, pints. What about including a short primer on game mechanics? Or is that more of a thing you'd cover at the top of the game? Or even just skip it altogether and try to handle all of the mechanics "behind the screen" as it were? I considered putting in a 'cheat sheet' for the rules of Dark Heresy. But with the two page character sheets, 1/2 page of background and the intro info. it was starting to feel a bit frontloaded. So, I just asked them what they would like to do and guided the first :30 min with an introductory skill tests/combat. Other than annoying technical difficulties it seemed a good way to introduce new folks to the system. By the way...when's the next L5R images coming ? I can hire you to do a group drawing of Sir Guido's L5R crew ? (or have I muddled that you are the artist? its been a long day...) Cheers, Curt J.
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sbloyd
Supporter
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Post by sbloyd on Jul 26, 2013 14:49:38 GMT -8
. I want to do a pic of Ayaka next. Unfortunately I had a catastrophic failure of my encase meant flask during an aluminum pour, so I'm a little behind at school...
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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!
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Post by sbloyd on Jul 26, 2013 14:51:03 GMT -8
Damn autocorrect. Encasement flask.
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Post by Houndin on Jul 27, 2013 7:19:31 GMT -8
Since nobody has touched on it, I'll reiterate the thing that's on my mind right now about con games - the pregen pc's. How do y'all do them? How much detail is too much, in their write ups? How many extras should you make so that there's an element of choice for the players? That sort of thing. I try to make two more than the players I have. I also try to have a nice mix of genders, I'll usually build a few characters as gender neutral so the players can choose. For writeup I try to have just a paragraph or two, focussing more on personality and goals than 'background' I also stole the Bonds mechanic from Dungeon World to allow the players to customize their relationships. I believe having something visual about the characters is a great help too. A portrait or artwork usually. You can check out my characters for the Fate game at this link.
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