Hey all,
About a week ago, I was talking with a co-worker who also does tabletop gaming, and the question came up as to why survival crafting games are engaging, but that that type of play doesn't seem to work well in tabletop games.
For one, there's a very rigorous inventory system inherent to the mechanics, but beyond that, there's an issue of how harvesting missions seem to lose some of their urgency and excitement in tabletop games. As a first crack at this problem, I've worked out a series of tables based on a classic example of tabletop design: the random encounter table.
I've kept the tables as system-neutral as I know how, and kept descriptors only just specific enough to be useful, in the intention that they'll fit a broad set of scenarios. I've included the document as a free pdf resource for game masters. Grab it at the link below, and happy gaming, all.
Survival Crafting Table
Monday, August 28, 2017
Monday, August 21, 2017
The Human Factor
Hey all,
There's something that I really enjoy about Sci-fi and Fantasy: something called the human factor. It comes down to a few elements that make up this human factor:
1: Need for Relationship
Humans, even nerdy bloggers, need relationship. Not necessarily romantic, thought that is a vital part of the human experience, but just camaraderie, friendship, and rivalry go a long way toward making a story feel human. It's what separates shows like Firefly or Farscape from shows too caught up in events to really invest in characters. Even shows like Star Trek, in which rank and title are paramount to the world portrayed, the deep and wonderful character moments occur between friends and compatriots.
2: Humor
Joss Whedon once said, “Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.” There's something very human about that, and it's why even very dark war stories like Band of Brothers, or Life is Beautiful have moments of humor and levity; it's not to detract from the horror, but to humanize it, and to show human beings trying everything at their disposal to cling to sanity in a world gone mad.
3: Human Flaws
This one is a big deal for me. Consider that in real life, people have left the nuclear football at a party or that nuclear launch operators have been found asleep by pizza delivery guys. Consider that cost-cutting measures put soldiers on the field in worse armor than the best that exists, and that political missteps have armed today's allies to become tomorrow's threats to democracy. Humanity is flawed. If a terrible fantasy dictator constructs the ultimate death fortress, that doesn't mean that his door guards won't be made up of a rookie who was given this assignment by a leader who didn't want to do the work to train him, a man still hungover from the night before, and a man preoccupied by a snide remark his wife made earlier that day. People are people, and worlds that reflect that feel more vibrant and real than worlds that don't.
So, think about this human factor in your own gaming and writing endeavors, and, as always, happy gaming, all.
There's something that I really enjoy about Sci-fi and Fantasy: something called the human factor. It comes down to a few elements that make up this human factor:
1: Need for Relationship
Humans, even nerdy bloggers, need relationship. Not necessarily romantic, thought that is a vital part of the human experience, but just camaraderie, friendship, and rivalry go a long way toward making a story feel human. It's what separates shows like Firefly or Farscape from shows too caught up in events to really invest in characters. Even shows like Star Trek, in which rank and title are paramount to the world portrayed, the deep and wonderful character moments occur between friends and compatriots.
2: Humor
Joss Whedon once said, “Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.” There's something very human about that, and it's why even very dark war stories like Band of Brothers, or Life is Beautiful have moments of humor and levity; it's not to detract from the horror, but to humanize it, and to show human beings trying everything at their disposal to cling to sanity in a world gone mad.
3: Human Flaws
This one is a big deal for me. Consider that in real life, people have left the nuclear football at a party or that nuclear launch operators have been found asleep by pizza delivery guys. Consider that cost-cutting measures put soldiers on the field in worse armor than the best that exists, and that political missteps have armed today's allies to become tomorrow's threats to democracy. Humanity is flawed. If a terrible fantasy dictator constructs the ultimate death fortress, that doesn't mean that his door guards won't be made up of a rookie who was given this assignment by a leader who didn't want to do the work to train him, a man still hungover from the night before, and a man preoccupied by a snide remark his wife made earlier that day. People are people, and worlds that reflect that feel more vibrant and real than worlds that don't.
So, think about this human factor in your own gaming and writing endeavors, and, as always, happy gaming, all.
Monday, August 14, 2017
Beastiary Supplemental: The Grootslang
Hey all,
Every so often, I come across something and wonder why it doesn't turn up in tabletop role playing games. Usually it's a trope, like love story or coming of age stories. Sometimes it's a genre, and I've written another post about some of those. This time, I've found a creature that might be the most fantasy RPG thing I've ever heard of that I've also somehow never seen in an official rule book. Without too much delay, then; let's meet the Grootslang:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Grootslang, sometimes called the Grote Slang, is a creature that purportedly lives in a cave beneath the Richtersveld in South Africa. The Richtersveld is a mountainous desert, marked in places by either coastal plains, jagged volcanic mountains, or the lush banks of the Orange River that cuts through the territory.
The Grootslang was created early in the making of things, when the gods were new to the art, and was simply made too powerful for the world. The gods destroyed this great beast and divided it's traits between the first snakes and the first elephants. Yet, some of the Grootslang escaped, and one hides in its deep cave, where it feeds on local elephants.
The lair of the Grootslang is brimming with diamonds, yet the beast hungers for more. It's lust for cruelty is only tempered by it's desire for precious gems, and it's unwary victims may perhaps buy their lives for a kingly sum of gemstones.
The Grootslang is a massive creature, like a snake with a malformed head like a hellish mockery of an elephant's.
Everything I just wrote is official lore of the Grootslang. This is all part of real-world accounts of a legendary cryptid. The gems, the ability to barter free, all of it. HOW IS THIS NOT A THING IN EVERY RPG BEASTIARY ALREADY?
Alright, done ranting. Seriously, though, y'all best up your Grootslang game when the errata rolls around.
Happy Gaming, all.
for more on the Grootslang:
Wikipedia: Grootslang
Giants, Monsters, and Dragons
Disappearances Feed Grootslang Legend
New Cryptozoology Wiki (includes list of sightings)
Every so often, I come across something and wonder why it doesn't turn up in tabletop role playing games. Usually it's a trope, like love story or coming of age stories. Sometimes it's a genre, and I've written another post about some of those. This time, I've found a creature that might be the most fantasy RPG thing I've ever heard of that I've also somehow never seen in an official rule book. Without too much delay, then; let's meet the Grootslang:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Grootslang, sometimes called the Grote Slang, is a creature that purportedly lives in a cave beneath the Richtersveld in South Africa. The Richtersveld is a mountainous desert, marked in places by either coastal plains, jagged volcanic mountains, or the lush banks of the Orange River that cuts through the territory.
The Grootslang was created early in the making of things, when the gods were new to the art, and was simply made too powerful for the world. The gods destroyed this great beast and divided it's traits between the first snakes and the first elephants. Yet, some of the Grootslang escaped, and one hides in its deep cave, where it feeds on local elephants.
The lair of the Grootslang is brimming with diamonds, yet the beast hungers for more. It's lust for cruelty is only tempered by it's desire for precious gems, and it's unwary victims may perhaps buy their lives for a kingly sum of gemstones.
The Grootslang is a massive creature, like a snake with a malformed head like a hellish mockery of an elephant's.
Everything I just wrote is official lore of the Grootslang. This is all part of real-world accounts of a legendary cryptid. The gems, the ability to barter free, all of it. HOW IS THIS NOT A THING IN EVERY RPG BEASTIARY ALREADY?
Alright, done ranting. Seriously, though, y'all best up your Grootslang game when the errata rolls around.
Happy Gaming, all.
for more on the Grootslang:
Wikipedia: Grootslang
Giants, Monsters, and Dragons
Disappearances Feed Grootslang Legend
New Cryptozoology Wiki (includes list of sightings)
Monday, August 7, 2017
Pokemon: Should Ghost-type Show Itself Out?
Hey all,
In one of my more recent posts, I talked about Pokemon's gen 1 pokedex, and ghost-type came up as a type with few species and little combat usefulness. Since then, the subsequent generations have made a few additions:
Gen 2 (Gold, Silver, Crystal)
So, a few interesting ghost-types among a handful of forgettable or regrettable ones. At this point, ghost-type is a full and entrenched element of the franchise. However, there was a point at which ghost-type could have bowed out with some dignity. In the 2nd generation, a new type was added: dark-type. Umbreon, Murkrow, Sneasel, Houndour, and Houndoom rounded out the new type as something really interesting. Additionally, the dark-type was what ghost-type had failed to be in Gen 1: dark-type was the answer to psychic-type.
Hop up the list again. Gen 2 added one ghost-type pokemon, making for four ghosts out of a pokedex of just over 250. At time of writing, there are now 43 ghosts (46 if you include mega evolutions) out of 802 total pokemon. In Gen 2, when ghost-types were getting the least amount of love they ever got from the devs, ghost-type should have been renamed to the dark-type, and included in with the new dark-type pokemon. This would have spared us some of the worse ideas, (looking at you honedge), and made ghost-type, renamed dark-type, what it should have been all along, the only strong and viable counter to the psychic-type.
What do you think? Have I picked on your favorites, or do you think the pokemon franchise missed a chance to trim the fat? Leave a comment below, and until next time, happy gaming, all!
In one of my more recent posts, I talked about Pokemon's gen 1 pokedex, and ghost-type came up as a type with few species and little combat usefulness. Since then, the subsequent generations have made a few additions:
Gen 2 (Gold, Silver, Crystal)
- Misdreavus
- Shedinja
- Sableye
- Duskull
- Dusclops
- Shuppet
- Banette
- Drifloon
- Drifblim
- Mismagius
- Spiritomb
- Dusknoir
- Froslass
- Rotom
- Giratina
- Yamask
- Cofagrigus
- Frillish
- Jellicent
- Litwick
- Lampent
- Chandelure
- Golett
- Golurk
- Honedge
- Doublade
- Aegislash
- Phantump
- Trevenant
- Pumpkaboo
- Gorgeist
- Hoopa
- Mega Gengar
- Mega Sableye
- Mega Banette
- Decidueye
- Oricorio (Sensu Style)
- Sandygast
- Palossand
- Mimikyu
- Dhelmise
- Lunala
- Marshadow
So, a few interesting ghost-types among a handful of forgettable or regrettable ones. At this point, ghost-type is a full and entrenched element of the franchise. However, there was a point at which ghost-type could have bowed out with some dignity. In the 2nd generation, a new type was added: dark-type. Umbreon, Murkrow, Sneasel, Houndour, and Houndoom rounded out the new type as something really interesting. Additionally, the dark-type was what ghost-type had failed to be in Gen 1: dark-type was the answer to psychic-type.
Hop up the list again. Gen 2 added one ghost-type pokemon, making for four ghosts out of a pokedex of just over 250. At time of writing, there are now 43 ghosts (46 if you include mega evolutions) out of 802 total pokemon. In Gen 2, when ghost-types were getting the least amount of love they ever got from the devs, ghost-type should have been renamed to the dark-type, and included in with the new dark-type pokemon. This would have spared us some of the worse ideas, (looking at you honedge), and made ghost-type, renamed dark-type, what it should have been all along, the only strong and viable counter to the psychic-type.
What do you think? Have I picked on your favorites, or do you think the pokemon franchise missed a chance to trim the fat? Leave a comment below, and until next time, happy gaming, all!
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