Lets say you are a fifth level Aristocrate. Roll Gather Information. A tenth gen Sabat Pander? Roll streetwise plus manipulation. Power rating ten Mutant? A Knowledge check might suffice, but a contact would be a more likely choice. If you are a SIN-less Shadowrunner then you will most deffinatly using a contact. That begs the question. If you are a SIN-less Shadowrunner and your real job job required you to get a fake job inside an office compley? Now that will take a couple of rolls. Lets examine the scenario of a day job in 2062.
You have no SIN. Social security number, for a post apocolyptic United Canadian American States. First purchase is a fake one of those. Street level contact, couple hundred nuyen, no problem. Next a background check on yer new self. Not even a hundred nuyen. Credit check, pocket change. Call to the local court house for a warrant check, free from a payphone. That's one contact roll and one streetwise check. You could have it all 'taken care of' by a class 3 fixer, but your a DIY guy. So you know who you are, and you know what is going to come back when someone checks on ya. Your ready to go chummer.
Walk into the place with pride. Acting roll. Slot your stolen resume and act casual, forgery. Wait for superior slash supervisor to reply, and then explain why you are not coming through normal channels without mentioning that you are not coming through normal channels. You could try and bribe one of the late night employees into suggesting you as a friend referal, but being related to the owner or going to school with the owner's cousin's daughter is right out. Fastalk or Con Artist roll ..or bribery. Then? Well, wait ..either you have the job or you flopped one of your rolls. It's either red team go! or plan b. Shoot everybody and camp out till Lone Star comes after you with drones.
There ya go. Getting a Job Shadowrunner style. The Aristocrat example is still buzzing in my mind. Maybe I'll do it next time. Maybe..
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Conducting One's Morning
A morning cup of coffee. I'm not talking about when you get river water in your face while white water rafting. I am speaking of the wakemeup. More expresely a morning ritual. Everyone has a morning ritual. Mine includes ciggarettes and yoga. Preferably two, and a good putter round the vincity. Some people are up and at em with a lightning quickness, and some people take nice long showers and shave while still rubbing the blur of dreams from their eyes. Along with eating and breathing waking up from sleep is a universal experience. Oddly enough waking up is a subject I have scarcely seen addressed in Story Play rule systems.
D&D 3ED has some reference to the phenomena. Specifically in order to be used in combat scenarios. In this case a listen check to successfully notice the need and a will save with flat DC. This mechanic does well to simulate a mid night ambush wherin you will awaken surging with adrenalin. I have used the mechanic several times successfully. The Storyteller system has a reference to slumber in the extented merits and flaws system. The trait 'deep sleeper' makes it more difficult to rouse your character. There is also a trait called nightmares in the Storyteller system that I am familiar with that gives you a one in six chance of awakening without having gained the benefits of sleeping, but where is that morning ritual?
Should you want to characterize the phenomena of the morning ritual and how it impacts a character I suggest we take a look at the Video Game 'Fallout' Fallout 3 specifically. In this video game your pixel is granted a boon of increased experience points per kill when they have had a full nights rest. Keeping in mind that the pixel also suffers absolute zero penalties for not sleeping, even for as long as two weeks worth of in game time, the express mechanic does not translate well to the story play. But, the idea is there. Benefit the character in some way for using their morning ritual.
Perhaps a bonus to perception? Perhaps a bonus action point? Perhaps a bonus die on certain tasks? One way or another granting the character a boon for having 'properly prepared' themselves for the day. This boon reflects the benefits of performing a morning ritual. An SRD example would be to grant the character the benefits of the alertness feat for six hours after the morning ritual. A Storyteller example would be to reduce all mental targets by one for six hours. If you really wanted to go wild with this idea you could.
Say you are playing 'Offices and Officials' (an imaginary game of keeping a day job and paying your taxes) what you could do is actually hammer out ten or twenty morning rituals (from yoga and ti chi to coffee and blogging) that provide different boons to your workaday character. Coffee could grant you a plus four alertness for three hours while yoga could grant you a plus two for six hours. Blogging increases your typing speed for the day while ti chi increases your balance. For the more serious blood and guts player morning rituals need not be restricted to Clerics and Druids who worship with the morning sun. An hour of stretching and excersise in the morning could grant a warrior character with a +1 to con and dex for the day!
Mornin!
D&D 3ED has some reference to the phenomena. Specifically in order to be used in combat scenarios. In this case a listen check to successfully notice the need and a will save with flat DC. This mechanic does well to simulate a mid night ambush wherin you will awaken surging with adrenalin. I have used the mechanic several times successfully. The Storyteller system has a reference to slumber in the extented merits and flaws system. The trait 'deep sleeper' makes it more difficult to rouse your character. There is also a trait called nightmares in the Storyteller system that I am familiar with that gives you a one in six chance of awakening without having gained the benefits of sleeping, but where is that morning ritual?
Should you want to characterize the phenomena of the morning ritual and how it impacts a character I suggest we take a look at the Video Game 'Fallout' Fallout 3 specifically. In this video game your pixel is granted a boon of increased experience points per kill when they have had a full nights rest. Keeping in mind that the pixel also suffers absolute zero penalties for not sleeping, even for as long as two weeks worth of in game time, the express mechanic does not translate well to the story play. But, the idea is there. Benefit the character in some way for using their morning ritual.
Perhaps a bonus to perception? Perhaps a bonus action point? Perhaps a bonus die on certain tasks? One way or another granting the character a boon for having 'properly prepared' themselves for the day. This boon reflects the benefits of performing a morning ritual. An SRD example would be to grant the character the benefits of the alertness feat for six hours after the morning ritual. A Storyteller example would be to reduce all mental targets by one for six hours. If you really wanted to go wild with this idea you could.
Say you are playing 'Offices and Officials' (an imaginary game of keeping a day job and paying your taxes) what you could do is actually hammer out ten or twenty morning rituals (from yoga and ti chi to coffee and blogging) that provide different boons to your workaday character. Coffee could grant you a plus four alertness for three hours while yoga could grant you a plus two for six hours. Blogging increases your typing speed for the day while ti chi increases your balance. For the more serious blood and guts player morning rituals need not be restricted to Clerics and Druids who worship with the morning sun. An hour of stretching and excersise in the morning could grant a warrior character with a +1 to con and dex for the day!
Mornin!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Good Morning, Good Morning!
A morning cup of coffee. I'm not talking about when you get river water in your face while white water rafting. I am speaking of the wakemeup. More expresely a morning ritual. Everyone has a morning ritual. Mine includes ciggarettes and yoga. Preferably two, and a good putter round the vincity. Some people are up and at em with a lightning quickness, and some people take nice long showers and shave while still rubbing the blur of dreams from their eyes. Along with eating and breathing waking up from sleep is a universal experience. Oddly enough waking up is a subject I have scarcely seen addressed in Story Play rule systems.
D&D 3ED has some reference to the phenomena. Specifically in order to be used in combat scenarios. In this case a listen check to successfully notice the need and a will save with flat DC. This mechanic does well to simulate a mid night ambush wherin you will awaken sueging with adrenalin. I have used the mechanic several times successfully. The Storyteller system has a reference to slumber in the extented merits and flaws system. The trait 'deep sleeper' makes it more difficult to rouse your character. There is also a trait called nightmares in the Storyteller system that I am familiar with that gives you a one in six chance of awakening without having gained the benefits of sleeping, but where is that morning ritual?
Should you want to characterize the phenomena of the morning ritual and how it impacts a character I suggest we take a look at the Video Game 'Fallout' Fallout 3 specifically. In this video game your pixel is granted a boon of increased experience points per kill when they have had a full nights rest. Keeping in mind that the pixel also suffers absolute zero penalties for not sleeping, even for as long as two weeks worth of in game time, the express mechanic does not translate well to the story play. But, the idea is there. Benefit the character in some way for using their morning ritual.
Perhaps a bonus to perception? Perhaps a bonus action point? Perhaps a bonus die on certain tasks? One way or another granting the character a boon for having 'properly prepared' themselves for the day. This boon reflects the benefits of performing a morning ritual. An SRD example would be to grant the character the benefits of the alertness feat for six hours after the morning ritual. A Storyteller example would be to reduce all mental targets by one for six hours. If you really wanted to go wild with this idea you could.
Say you are playing 'Offices and Officials' (an imaginary game of keeping a day job and paying your taxes) what you could do is actually hammer out ten or twenty morning rituals (from yoga and ti chi to coffee and blogging) that provide different boons to your workaday character. Coffee could grant you a plus four alertness for three hours while yoga could grant you a plus two for six hours. Blogging increases your typing speed for the day while ti chi increases your balance. For the more serious blood and guts player morning rituals need not be restricted to Clerics and Druids who worship with the morning sun. An hour of stretching and excersise in the morning could grant a warrior character with a +1 to con and dex for the day!
Mornin!
D&D 3ED has some reference to the phenomena. Specifically in order to be used in combat scenarios. In this case a listen check to successfully notice the need and a will save with flat DC. This mechanic does well to simulate a mid night ambush wherin you will awaken sueging with adrenalin. I have used the mechanic several times successfully. The Storyteller system has a reference to slumber in the extented merits and flaws system. The trait 'deep sleeper' makes it more difficult to rouse your character. There is also a trait called nightmares in the Storyteller system that I am familiar with that gives you a one in six chance of awakening without having gained the benefits of sleeping, but where is that morning ritual?
Should you want to characterize the phenomena of the morning ritual and how it impacts a character I suggest we take a look at the Video Game 'Fallout' Fallout 3 specifically. In this video game your pixel is granted a boon of increased experience points per kill when they have had a full nights rest. Keeping in mind that the pixel also suffers absolute zero penalties for not sleeping, even for as long as two weeks worth of in game time, the express mechanic does not translate well to the story play. But, the idea is there. Benefit the character in some way for using their morning ritual.
Perhaps a bonus to perception? Perhaps a bonus action point? Perhaps a bonus die on certain tasks? One way or another granting the character a boon for having 'properly prepared' themselves for the day. This boon reflects the benefits of performing a morning ritual. An SRD example would be to grant the character the benefits of the alertness feat for six hours after the morning ritual. A Storyteller example would be to reduce all mental targets by one for six hours. If you really wanted to go wild with this idea you could.
Say you are playing 'Offices and Officials' (an imaginary game of keeping a day job and paying your taxes) what you could do is actually hammer out ten or twenty morning rituals (from yoga and ti chi to coffee and blogging) that provide different boons to your workaday character. Coffee could grant you a plus four alertness for three hours while yoga could grant you a plus two for six hours. Blogging increases your typing speed for the day while ti chi increases your balance. For the more serious blood and guts player morning rituals need not be restricted to Clerics and Druids who worship with the morning sun. An hour of stretching and excersise in the morning could grant a warrior character with a +1 to con and dex for the day!
Mornin!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Brave New World by Matt Forbeck and Newform.
I had a great talk with Matt at Gen Con one year. At the time I was not familiar with his books, or his Delta setting. Amazing how similar in huge ways the Brave New Word and it's Delta's are akin to my 'next wave/Bolt's World' setting. Specifically in it's fluffy/PI elements. No wonder me and Matt hit it off. Bolt's World is a champions/hero system setting and pan dimensionally nearer to each other than the either of them are to Marvel Verse or the DCU. Next time I see him I should ask if he read the Ultraverse. Prime and the Freaks were a huge inspiration to me as I was developing Bolt's World. Brave New World even uses an Alpha throug Delta descriptor for their Super Humans, even though their Delta is more like my Gamma (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and my Delta would be more like an Epsilon as in Bolt's World there are regular Williams out there with the 'super human power' to create a matchstick strength spark, and no more.
Brave New World is a attribute and skill success based system. Similar to the popular World of Darkness 2.0 ~ only much simpler. Compared to the differential equations envisioned for the completed Bolt's World Campaign Suplement (publication available convergently with the Television Premier and Graphic Novelization Release (dont forget the quality action figures)) Brave New World's system side is simple, easy, and elegant. Exploding sixes, and non point buy character creation really cynch it as a character driven story play. Encourages roleplaying, you see. The exploding successes systems are one quick step from a monitored game of cowboys and indians. The moment a question comes up you toss some dice and bingo the coin says heads. Irecently read of a character driven story play system that used no mechanics at all! It was a purely round robin story telling concept called Radience.
I honestly prefer simulational games. D20, Hero, GURPS. These are system systems that stick to the Gygaxian ideology that roleplaying is encouraged by your fellow players. The conductor is one of these players in this sense. Pitting his own creations ~ be they dragon or foxbat ~ verses the entier team of PC. PC v GM is the oldform. Newform is much along the lines of the oldform addage '+ And - 2 is a DM's best friend' and other Gygaxian 'dont tell the Dungeon Master that he doesn't need the rules' addages. I cheat. If I am running premades and they are not hauling hard enough in combat? Pump em. Allot of time I snatch a thing out of a book and then swing the numbers around by as much 10, at least in D20. Gemstone Golem? God base, now add a paraltic sonic blast field, a double crit shatter point, and a refraction contingent beam attack ..and more HP. Nothing ever has enough hit point. I also let my players get away with murder ..if they evil.
The game is for the players ~ Newform.
Brave New World is a attribute and skill success based system. Similar to the popular World of Darkness 2.0 ~ only much simpler. Compared to the differential equations envisioned for the completed Bolt's World Campaign Suplement (publication available convergently with the Television Premier and Graphic Novelization Release (dont forget the quality action figures)) Brave New World's system side is simple, easy, and elegant. Exploding sixes, and non point buy character creation really cynch it as a character driven story play. Encourages roleplaying, you see. The exploding successes systems are one quick step from a monitored game of cowboys and indians. The moment a question comes up you toss some dice and bingo the coin says heads. Irecently read of a character driven story play system that used no mechanics at all! It was a purely round robin story telling concept called Radience.
I honestly prefer simulational games. D20, Hero, GURPS. These are system systems that stick to the Gygaxian ideology that roleplaying is encouraged by your fellow players. The conductor is one of these players in this sense. Pitting his own creations ~ be they dragon or foxbat ~ verses the entier team of PC. PC v GM is the oldform. Newform is much along the lines of the oldform addage '+ And - 2 is a DM's best friend' and other Gygaxian 'dont tell the Dungeon Master that he doesn't need the rules' addages. I cheat. If I am running premades and they are not hauling hard enough in combat? Pump em. Allot of time I snatch a thing out of a book and then swing the numbers around by as much 10, at least in D20. Gemstone Golem? God base, now add a paraltic sonic blast field, a double crit shatter point, and a refraction contingent beam attack ..and more HP. Nothing ever has enough hit point. I also let my players get away with murder ..if they evil.
The game is for the players ~ Newform.
Brave New World by Matt Forbeck
I had a great talk with Matt at Gen Con one year. At the time I was not familiar with his books, or his Delta setting. Amazing how similar in huge ways the Brave New Word and it's Delta's are akin to my 'next wave/Bolt's World' setting. Specifically in it's fluffy/PI elements. No wonder me and Matt hit it off. Bolt's World is a champions/hero system setting and pan dimensionally nearer to each other than the either of them are to Marvel Verse or the DCU. Next time I see him I should ask if he read the Ultraverse. Prime and the Freaks were a huge inspiration to me as I was developing Bolt's World. Brave New World even uses an Alpha throug Delta descriptor for their Super Humans, even though their Delta is more like my Gamma (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and my Delta would be more like an Epsilon as in Bolt's World there are regular Williams out there with the 'super human power' to create a matchstick strength spark, and no more.
B
B
Sunday, March 20, 2011
story play
story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play story play
Pardon the SEO, 'story play' does not have quality results on asearch. I should start a wiki? Hmm.. Maybe not? Sigh..
Pardon the SEO, 'story play' does not have quality results on asearch. I should start a wiki? Hmm.. Maybe not? Sigh..
Story Game
:hmm: suddenly chamber play sounds as dungeon esque as master does next to conductor. Conductor sounds.. Solid. Worthy even, but story Game, Story Play.. I do still think that 'play' is the thing :wink: Game means contest. Most people start asking 'how do I win' if you use the term game. Play is much more the thing about Story Games. Play Games could workish, but is also effectively taken by casual usage. People say 'play games' to sorta/kinda mean sumthin. Whereas Story Play has a sorta theatrical flair to it. Unused as far as I am aware. You have stage play, screen play, and story play, and game play. Game play being.. Sports and videogames. Arcade? :hmm:
Story Play?
Story Play?
Friday, March 11, 2011
What is in a name?
A whole lot of less annoying if you have a good one. D&D. Its all D&D to me. I really mean that. To me the name of the game is D&D. I will call it that until.. the end of time. To infinity and beyond.. to myself at least. However, the craft needs a better name than an a convenient acronym that seems reminiscent of small chocolate candies. D&D needs a name by which it can be studied and understood. Like when you write a good adventure. The title should say it all. That is true for anything. A good title really tells the story. I played in an adventure titled World's Largest Dungeon and that title really prepared me for what I was embarking on. My character died walking around a corner. Looked right at a death rune on the wall - poof. Poor ex-paladin wererat human. I was going to redeem him.. ah well. Sadly I don't remember his name off the top of my head.
Chamber Play? Game Play? Table Top Game?
Why don't I like Table Top? It makes me think of a dance club. Role Playing Game makes me think of people dressing up and having a costume party. More like Who's Line is it Anyway? than what I mean by D&D! Storytelling seems too sacrosanct. A storyteller takes you into a story. A story starts and finishes. There is a beginning and and ending, a protagonist and a trial. The storyteller tells the story. Thats storytelling. D&D is too free form to be allowed into this ancient fireside art. I like the term running and conducting games. At the very least as the verbs for the action that I am performing when I am 'administering' the game world of a TTRPG.
Game Play.. something seems so nice about that term. I plan on tossing it around for a ..while.
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