Hey all,
I've been doing some thinking. I've been doing the blog thing for a while, and, honestly, I'm not sure what I'm hoping to accomplish here. I've still got some thinking to do going forward, and this isn't a "farewell", but I want to be intentional about letting this be a more sporadic thing. Maybe I'll go back to a harder schedule on this later, but for now, I'll just be chiming in when I've got an idea I like.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Prepping a One-Off
Hey all,
Welcome back, and here's hoping you had a great Christmas and New Years.
I thought to kick things off this year with an idea that turned out to take a little longer than I'd anticipated, but I think it's an idea worth going into: how to prepare for a one-off tabletop game.
Firstly, what do I mean when I say "one-off game". A one-off is a game intended to be played in a single tabletop session instead of played over the course of several weeks, months, or even years. This longer format is more common, and most players would call it a campaign. A one-off is a single story, meant to be told over the course of roughly 2 to 6 hours, depending on the time available for your session.
Secondly, why would you want to prepare a one-off game? There's several good reasons to want to get into this format. Convention games are best prepared as one-offs, as are attempts to familiarize a party with a new system before committing to something bigger. The best reason I can think of, though, is to have a story ready to run if your regularly scheduled RPG group misses a night but still has the players to make something happen. Whether this is to fill in for a missing GM, or to replace a session that's down to half-attendance for a week, this can keep the ball rolling when it might have come to a stop.
That out of the way, let's look at how we can plan a one-off. Some of these guidelines will apply broadly to any RPG game planning, but they are specifically important when bringing the format down to a single sitting. A year-long campaign might include a bad week for one player that doesn't spoil the whole experience, but the same can't be said for one-offs.
I'll be going into a few specific things I look into when preparing one-offs.
Premade Characters
It is critical to start by establishing premade characters for one-off sessions. With a longer session, you can begin with a character creation session, but no one's going to want to spend one week making characters to play as in the next week, and then never look at again. Even if they wanted to, the best use of one-offs won't leave time for that.
This is also your chance as the GM, if you're not yet familiar with the system, to figure out how it all works. Making half a dozen characters is a great way to learn what the system is good at, and prepare for the central mechanics of what player characters CAN do.
Work to include only the spells, skills, mechanics, etc. that you know you understand. Not needing to continually consult the rule book will smooth out the gameplay, and help make sure you finish inside of your time window.
. . . But What Makes a Premade Character Good?
Or, since you're making all of the PCs, what makes a premade party good? Since you can't predict just how many people you will be GMing for, (most of the time) you won't be able to assemble the perfect team. Think about Q in the James Bond movies. That near-clairvoyant ability to put the right tool in the right place may seem like just the thing you're capable of, as game master and character designer; but that kind of thinking can hammer the rails down hard. If you decide that this puzzle will be Penelope's moment, while this puzzle over here is where Rick's combat skills will be showcased, then you lock down alternate solutions to your problems. As a rule for all tabletop gaming: NEVER plan for a single solution to any problem you present the players. Instead, plan out the world, and be prepared for a multitude of solutions to the same problem.
That said, the characters should be very different from one another. I like to try to include one of each class and one of each race in classic d20 systems, while dividing characters between primarily mental, social, and physical archetypes in classless systems. Lean a little more toward the Jack of all Trades than you normally would, to allow players to act outside their archetypes when they have a fun or cinematic idea. That said, do design the characters to be strongly differentiated from one another. I like to include character sketches on the backs of the character sheets to help players made snap decisions about who they'd like to play. This is a good time to do BRIEF write-ups of the characters' backstories and also to plan motivations that will lead them to say "Yes" when the call to adventure comes.
All that to say, DO plan to create slightly more characters than you think you'll need, and DO go into the event with a very specific plan for deciding who gets which character. A random drawing is a very fair way of doing things, but can pair players with characters they really don't connect with. A selection-style means players choose which character they want, but this can be tricky as far as arbitrating whenever players argue over a specific character. The method you pick is less important than that you have a method picked and ready to go.
Module Preparations
Now, we come to the crux of it. You've got your plan, you've got a pool of characters from which your party will be drawn, and it's time to put together your module. One thing I like to do at this stage is try to think through what a linear, non-game story would look like, and parse that down to the barest bones of narrative direction. So, if the plot of a traditional "the artist is absent" story would involve a character getting into a fight with a giant monster, chop that down to simply be an encounter with said giant monster, to open the field back up into sneaking options, combat options, high-adrenaline chase, or even social options if someone can manage to soothe the beast.
Keep the structure of your plan simple, and vary the types of challenges faced. If one challenge is crossing a river, another is an encounter with a vicious tribe, another is an encounter with a wild beast, and another is a fact-finding mission at a local watering hole, this gives players and characters of all skill sets a chance to step to the forefront of the story.
In general, I like to plan for two or three smaller events, followed by a climactic end. This usually fits in the 2-3 hour window that I operate in for these types of one-offs. However, you may have to dial this in as you become experienced as a GM, and you may also have to tweak it slightly to find the length that best fits your session time.
Beyond this, it flows about like planning a normal campaign. So dive in, get something ready, and turn up with an adventure in your pocket the next time it looks like your game night might fall through. Happy gaming, all.
Welcome back, and here's hoping you had a great Christmas and New Years.
I thought to kick things off this year with an idea that turned out to take a little longer than I'd anticipated, but I think it's an idea worth going into: how to prepare for a one-off tabletop game.
Firstly, what do I mean when I say "one-off game". A one-off is a game intended to be played in a single tabletop session instead of played over the course of several weeks, months, or even years. This longer format is more common, and most players would call it a campaign. A one-off is a single story, meant to be told over the course of roughly 2 to 6 hours, depending on the time available for your session.
Secondly, why would you want to prepare a one-off game? There's several good reasons to want to get into this format. Convention games are best prepared as one-offs, as are attempts to familiarize a party with a new system before committing to something bigger. The best reason I can think of, though, is to have a story ready to run if your regularly scheduled RPG group misses a night but still has the players to make something happen. Whether this is to fill in for a missing GM, or to replace a session that's down to half-attendance for a week, this can keep the ball rolling when it might have come to a stop.
That out of the way, let's look at how we can plan a one-off. Some of these guidelines will apply broadly to any RPG game planning, but they are specifically important when bringing the format down to a single sitting. A year-long campaign might include a bad week for one player that doesn't spoil the whole experience, but the same can't be said for one-offs.
I'll be going into a few specific things I look into when preparing one-offs.
Premade Characters
It is critical to start by establishing premade characters for one-off sessions. With a longer session, you can begin with a character creation session, but no one's going to want to spend one week making characters to play as in the next week, and then never look at again. Even if they wanted to, the best use of one-offs won't leave time for that.
This is also your chance as the GM, if you're not yet familiar with the system, to figure out how it all works. Making half a dozen characters is a great way to learn what the system is good at, and prepare for the central mechanics of what player characters CAN do.
Work to include only the spells, skills, mechanics, etc. that you know you understand. Not needing to continually consult the rule book will smooth out the gameplay, and help make sure you finish inside of your time window.
. . . But What Makes a Premade Character Good?
Or, since you're making all of the PCs, what makes a premade party good? Since you can't predict just how many people you will be GMing for, (most of the time) you won't be able to assemble the perfect team. Think about Q in the James Bond movies. That near-clairvoyant ability to put the right tool in the right place may seem like just the thing you're capable of, as game master and character designer; but that kind of thinking can hammer the rails down hard. If you decide that this puzzle will be Penelope's moment, while this puzzle over here is where Rick's combat skills will be showcased, then you lock down alternate solutions to your problems. As a rule for all tabletop gaming: NEVER plan for a single solution to any problem you present the players. Instead, plan out the world, and be prepared for a multitude of solutions to the same problem.
That said, the characters should be very different from one another. I like to try to include one of each class and one of each race in classic d20 systems, while dividing characters between primarily mental, social, and physical archetypes in classless systems. Lean a little more toward the Jack of all Trades than you normally would, to allow players to act outside their archetypes when they have a fun or cinematic idea. That said, do design the characters to be strongly differentiated from one another. I like to include character sketches on the backs of the character sheets to help players made snap decisions about who they'd like to play. This is a good time to do BRIEF write-ups of the characters' backstories and also to plan motivations that will lead them to say "Yes" when the call to adventure comes.
All that to say, DO plan to create slightly more characters than you think you'll need, and DO go into the event with a very specific plan for deciding who gets which character. A random drawing is a very fair way of doing things, but can pair players with characters they really don't connect with. A selection-style means players choose which character they want, but this can be tricky as far as arbitrating whenever players argue over a specific character. The method you pick is less important than that you have a method picked and ready to go.
Module Preparations
Now, we come to the crux of it. You've got your plan, you've got a pool of characters from which your party will be drawn, and it's time to put together your module. One thing I like to do at this stage is try to think through what a linear, non-game story would look like, and parse that down to the barest bones of narrative direction. So, if the plot of a traditional "the artist is absent" story would involve a character getting into a fight with a giant monster, chop that down to simply be an encounter with said giant monster, to open the field back up into sneaking options, combat options, high-adrenaline chase, or even social options if someone can manage to soothe the beast.
Keep the structure of your plan simple, and vary the types of challenges faced. If one challenge is crossing a river, another is an encounter with a vicious tribe, another is an encounter with a wild beast, and another is a fact-finding mission at a local watering hole, this gives players and characters of all skill sets a chance to step to the forefront of the story.
In general, I like to plan for two or three smaller events, followed by a climactic end. This usually fits in the 2-3 hour window that I operate in for these types of one-offs. However, you may have to dial this in as you become experienced as a GM, and you may also have to tweak it slightly to find the length that best fits your session time.
Beyond this, it flows about like planning a normal campaign. So dive in, get something ready, and turn up with an adventure in your pocket the next time it looks like your game night might fall through. Happy gaming, all.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Christmas Hiatus
Hey all,
First off, sorry to have missed Friday Funnies last Friday, got swamped that day with Christmas doings; and that leads into the rest of this. With no submissions yet to last week's contest, I think it's a good time to wait for some entries and take some time off until after the new year. I'm hoping to come back January 4th with contest results and new content. Thanks for sticking with me through these first few months, and I'll see you after the ball drops.
Merry Christmas, all; and Happy New Year.
First off, sorry to have missed Friday Funnies last Friday, got swamped that day with Christmas doings; and that leads into the rest of this. With no submissions yet to last week's contest, I think it's a good time to wait for some entries and take some time off until after the new year. I'm hoping to come back January 4th with contest results and new content. Thanks for sticking with me through these first few months, and I'll see you after the ball drops.
Merry Christmas, all; and Happy New Year.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Vault of the Mad Chocolatier: A belated second entry
Alright, everybody. I won't say I've been doing this for a while, but I think it's at least been long enough to try for a reader response contest, and, since I haven't done a Vault of the Mad Chocolatier in a while, let's go with that.
For those who don't know, the Vault of the Mad Chocolatier is where I list out a few interesting and devious items, weapons, and miscellany for filling out RPG treasure rooms. Now, for the contest.
Include in the comments below a name and description for a magical, or mechanically interesting, or ancient technological, or whatever other cool modifier you can think of, item that would be a fun inclusion in an RPG. A week from today, I'll do another post including every entry I liked and naming a winner among them. (your congratulatory bragging rights should ship in 5-10 business years).
So, let's hear 'em. What are the best items to reward, trick, or trap unwary players?
Happy gaming, all: and good luck to you.
For those who don't know, the Vault of the Mad Chocolatier is where I list out a few interesting and devious items, weapons, and miscellany for filling out RPG treasure rooms. Now, for the contest.
Include in the comments below a name and description for a magical, or mechanically interesting, or ancient technological, or whatever other cool modifier you can think of, item that would be a fun inclusion in an RPG. A week from today, I'll do another post including every entry I liked and naming a winner among them. (your congratulatory bragging rights should ship in 5-10 business years).
So, let's hear 'em. What are the best items to reward, trick, or trap unwary players?
Happy gaming, all: and good luck to you.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Giving the Gift of You
Hey all,
With Christmas rolling in, many of us are going to be spending some time with friends and family; and sometimes, it can be hard to share things that matter to you into the lives of the people you care about. Some hobbies just don't register with your loved ones, and you may have, like me, decided to just try and make peace with that.
However, after going to a store called St. Nick's here in Denver, I realized that there may be more overlap between Christmas tradition and nerd culture than I'd thought. So, here's some small ideas for sharing the hobbies you like with the people you love.
Miniatures
If you're anywhere in the painting, customizing, or even building of miniatures, you're part of a rich tradition that's well appreciated at Christmas time. Snowy villages and nativity scenes can brighten the holidays, and something homemade with the professional polish I know this hobby has mustered before can be a meaningful and treasured gift. This website has a tutorial for houses as well as one for trees if you'd like to go the "Christmas Village" route.
Board Games
If you've dived deep enough into the board game community, you've probably got quite a collection behind you. Share that hobby with your loved ones. Some families bring out battered copies of Monopoly or Yahtzee, but there's no reason your Nascar uncle might not give Formula D a try, or your superhero-obsessed nephews might enjoy a carefully selected game of Legendary. I've personally introduced my parents to Tsuro, Qwirkle, Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, Love Letter, and probably several more I can't remember off the top of my head. Gaming's come a long way from the rainy day distractions when we were kids, and older relatives might be open to learning a new game or two over the holidays.
Storytelling
It's no coincidence that some tabletop games call their game masters "storytellers". The skills you develop here can make you a gem for Christmas plays, dramatic readings, and other storytelling events of the holiday season. Psyche yourself up to take the stage and remember that those long nights over a grid map have been training you for public speaking: both in confidence and skill.
That's what I've got on the subject. If you know other aspects of the stereotypical nerd community that could enrich the holiday season for everyone involved, feel free to chime in in the comment section below.
Merry Christmas, all.
With Christmas rolling in, many of us are going to be spending some time with friends and family; and sometimes, it can be hard to share things that matter to you into the lives of the people you care about. Some hobbies just don't register with your loved ones, and you may have, like me, decided to just try and make peace with that.
However, after going to a store called St. Nick's here in Denver, I realized that there may be more overlap between Christmas tradition and nerd culture than I'd thought. So, here's some small ideas for sharing the hobbies you like with the people you love.
Miniatures
If you're anywhere in the painting, customizing, or even building of miniatures, you're part of a rich tradition that's well appreciated at Christmas time. Snowy villages and nativity scenes can brighten the holidays, and something homemade with the professional polish I know this hobby has mustered before can be a meaningful and treasured gift. This website has a tutorial for houses as well as one for trees if you'd like to go the "Christmas Village" route.
Board Games
If you've dived deep enough into the board game community, you've probably got quite a collection behind you. Share that hobby with your loved ones. Some families bring out battered copies of Monopoly or Yahtzee, but there's no reason your Nascar uncle might not give Formula D a try, or your superhero-obsessed nephews might enjoy a carefully selected game of Legendary. I've personally introduced my parents to Tsuro, Qwirkle, Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, Love Letter, and probably several more I can't remember off the top of my head. Gaming's come a long way from the rainy day distractions when we were kids, and older relatives might be open to learning a new game or two over the holidays.
Storytelling
It's no coincidence that some tabletop games call their game masters "storytellers". The skills you develop here can make you a gem for Christmas plays, dramatic readings, and other storytelling events of the holiday season. Psyche yourself up to take the stage and remember that those long nights over a grid map have been training you for public speaking: both in confidence and skill.
That's what I've got on the subject. If you know other aspects of the stereotypical nerd community that could enrich the holiday season for everyone involved, feel free to chime in in the comment section below.
Merry Christmas, all.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
GURPS supplements I'd like to see in 4th edition
Hey all,
Following the successful funding of Dungeon Fantasy powered by GURPS on kickstarter, Steve Jackson games has announced Mars Attacks powered by GURPS. This gives me some hope of seeing a fourth edition explosion of content like what GURPS had in its third edition heyday. With that in mind, here are the supplements I'd love to see remade with a fresh coat of fourth edition paint.
#5. GURPS Humanx
Let's start with one of the most obscure game supplements I've ever stumbled across. I should preface this with the fact that I haven't personally gotten my hands on most of the ones on this list, I'm just kind of jazzed that stuff like this is out there to try and get my hands on one day. This one I did see in a store, and I still vaguely regret not picking it up. It's just so left field to make a rules supplement for such a little known property as the works of Alan Dean Foster, and the setting is rich and vibrant enough to pique my interest in coming to something like this for a future game.
#4 GURPS Scarlet Pimpernell
Subtitled "Swashbuckling Adventure in Revolutionary France" this seems to be exactly what the title suggests: a supplement book for playing through the world of Baroness Orczy's prototype of the modern superhero story. If that doesn't sell on the idea of roleplaying outside of the classic D&D mold, then I don't know what will.
#3 GURPS Atomic Horror
I've actually got the old edition of this one coming in the mail, but it'd be great to see a retread of this material in the fourth edition rules. Atomic Horror is all about 50's B-movie science fiction, and with my groups, that'd turn into a night of mystery science theater-ing any GM's best laid plans in glorious fashion. Not only should this come back for the sake of B movie action, but for the tips and tricks for incorporating this sort of thing into your spy dramas and monster of the week government agency stories.
#2 GURPS Conan
There's something charming about old school sword and sorcery. RPGs that take more cues from serialized pulp adventures than from Tolkien inspired epics have a different flavor that evokes something somewhat Arthurian. For players looking to branch out into what GURPS is capable of, but need a few sessions with training wheels, a low magic fantasy like this would be perfect.
#1 GURPS Ice Age
Y'know, maybe this one doesn't deserve the number one spot on a purely objective measure, but this isn't a purely objective measure. This is what Joe likes, and what Joe likes is settings where wolves are a scary threat and the environmental hazards are as likely to kill you as the combat encounters. Prehistoric worlds are a vast and, largely untapped, genre in both adventure fiction and RPGs, and anything that helps these stories of both harshly grim and enduringly hopeful themes to happen is all right in my book.
So, there's my list. What GURPS supplements would you like to see brought back? What supplements have they never made that you'd love to see them take a crack at? Share in the comments below. Happy gaming, all.
Following the successful funding of Dungeon Fantasy powered by GURPS on kickstarter, Steve Jackson games has announced Mars Attacks powered by GURPS. This gives me some hope of seeing a fourth edition explosion of content like what GURPS had in its third edition heyday. With that in mind, here are the supplements I'd love to see remade with a fresh coat of fourth edition paint.
#5. GURPS Humanx
Let's start with one of the most obscure game supplements I've ever stumbled across. I should preface this with the fact that I haven't personally gotten my hands on most of the ones on this list, I'm just kind of jazzed that stuff like this is out there to try and get my hands on one day. This one I did see in a store, and I still vaguely regret not picking it up. It's just so left field to make a rules supplement for such a little known property as the works of Alan Dean Foster, and the setting is rich and vibrant enough to pique my interest in coming to something like this for a future game.
#4 GURPS Scarlet Pimpernell
Subtitled "Swashbuckling Adventure in Revolutionary France" this seems to be exactly what the title suggests: a supplement book for playing through the world of Baroness Orczy's prototype of the modern superhero story. If that doesn't sell on the idea of roleplaying outside of the classic D&D mold, then I don't know what will.
#3 GURPS Atomic Horror
I've actually got the old edition of this one coming in the mail, but it'd be great to see a retread of this material in the fourth edition rules. Atomic Horror is all about 50's B-movie science fiction, and with my groups, that'd turn into a night of mystery science theater-ing any GM's best laid plans in glorious fashion. Not only should this come back for the sake of B movie action, but for the tips and tricks for incorporating this sort of thing into your spy dramas and monster of the week government agency stories.
#2 GURPS Conan
There's something charming about old school sword and sorcery. RPGs that take more cues from serialized pulp adventures than from Tolkien inspired epics have a different flavor that evokes something somewhat Arthurian. For players looking to branch out into what GURPS is capable of, but need a few sessions with training wheels, a low magic fantasy like this would be perfect.
#1 GURPS Ice Age
Y'know, maybe this one doesn't deserve the number one spot on a purely objective measure, but this isn't a purely objective measure. This is what Joe likes, and what Joe likes is settings where wolves are a scary threat and the environmental hazards are as likely to kill you as the combat encounters. Prehistoric worlds are a vast and, largely untapped, genre in both adventure fiction and RPGs, and anything that helps these stories of both harshly grim and enduringly hopeful themes to happen is all right in my book.
So, there's my list. What GURPS supplements would you like to see brought back? What supplements have they never made that you'd love to see them take a crack at? Share in the comments below. Happy gaming, all.
Monday, December 5, 2016
Game Review/Game Bump/First Impressions? : Tales from the Borderlands
So, I'm not really sure what to call what I'm about to do here. It'll be a little less formal than a review, a little more critical than a product bump, and a little too late to be a viable first impressions write-up. Nevertheless, we're talking about Tales from the Borderlands today.
Tales from the Borderlands is principally thought of as a Telltale Games title, although other studios collaborated on the project. This mostly has to do with the fact that it just feels like a Telltale game. A few key choices matter, and the choices that don't matter look and feel exactly like the ones that do, which makes every choice feel like it has the potential to change events. Characters are well developed, and, like-able or not, they are at least interesting. Combat is primarily quick-time events or shooting galleries and is as likely to feel dis-empowering as to feel empowering. If you've played a game like the Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us before, you know the feeling I'm describing here.
The Good
The humor in this game is spot on. Intermingled as it is with the action; it makes this game feel like playing a Guy Ritchie movie. Additionally, the voice acting is superb. Celebrity appearances from Chris Hardwick and Patrick Warburton sell a big draw quickly, and lesser known talent earns that "talent" title in spades on this project.
The Bad
The language may be a bit much for some people, and, while not gratuitous, the M rating is warranted on this title. This game also has a problem shared by many Telltale titles (looking at you, Wolf Among Us) of giving a fairly satisfying ending about thirty seconds before doing something that tries to be mind-blowing, and ends up being more confusing than anything. At the risk of spoilers, I won't go further into that, but just know that you should look for your enjoyment throughout the game rather than hanging the whole notion of game enjoyment on finding that perfect ending.
The Excellent
This game's premise is one I wouldn't have thought possible: specifically, it is a choose your own adventure story with an unreliable narrator. The main story is told in flashbacks by a pair of characters who continually bicker about what really happened, and the framing device deals with the mysterious figure who has captured these two, and about what he might want with them. The fact that they pulled this off, and did it with such panache, speaks volumes of the ground Telltale is and has been breaking in the gaming industry.
. . .and that's it. That's what I've got coming out of this experience. If I fanboyed a little over Telltale, I'm not even sorry, they make some of my favorite stuff. If you're interested in trying the game for yourself it is available here.
Happy gaming, all.
Tales from the Borderlands is principally thought of as a Telltale Games title, although other studios collaborated on the project. This mostly has to do with the fact that it just feels like a Telltale game. A few key choices matter, and the choices that don't matter look and feel exactly like the ones that do, which makes every choice feel like it has the potential to change events. Characters are well developed, and, like-able or not, they are at least interesting. Combat is primarily quick-time events or shooting galleries and is as likely to feel dis-empowering as to feel empowering. If you've played a game like the Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us before, you know the feeling I'm describing here.
The Good
The humor in this game is spot on. Intermingled as it is with the action; it makes this game feel like playing a Guy Ritchie movie. Additionally, the voice acting is superb. Celebrity appearances from Chris Hardwick and Patrick Warburton sell a big draw quickly, and lesser known talent earns that "talent" title in spades on this project.
The Bad
The language may be a bit much for some people, and, while not gratuitous, the M rating is warranted on this title. This game also has a problem shared by many Telltale titles (looking at you, Wolf Among Us) of giving a fairly satisfying ending about thirty seconds before doing something that tries to be mind-blowing, and ends up being more confusing than anything. At the risk of spoilers, I won't go further into that, but just know that you should look for your enjoyment throughout the game rather than hanging the whole notion of game enjoyment on finding that perfect ending.
The Excellent
This game's premise is one I wouldn't have thought possible: specifically, it is a choose your own adventure story with an unreliable narrator. The main story is told in flashbacks by a pair of characters who continually bicker about what really happened, and the framing device deals with the mysterious figure who has captured these two, and about what he might want with them. The fact that they pulled this off, and did it with such panache, speaks volumes of the ground Telltale is and has been breaking in the gaming industry.
. . .and that's it. That's what I've got coming out of this experience. If I fanboyed a little over Telltale, I'm not even sorry, they make some of my favorite stuff. If you're interested in trying the game for yourself it is available here.
Happy gaming, all.
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