Post by Egann on Jan 2, 2017 23:07:03 GMT
Tabletop RPG game night, that is.
It’s after the first, and while I’m not quite as ready as I’d like on the video end of things, I’m game for a Game Night for us LAers. LA’s Discord server strikes me as a really dead simple way to make this happen.
What do you need to play:
Question: If I host a game night (read; be the GM) who all is interested in playing?
Available Campaigns
I have two campaigns I’ve been writing up, but no RPG should be entirely “here’s what the GM wants to do.” If you have an idea, feel free to write your own. If a) people are interested and b) I feel it’s an idea I can actually pull off, I’d love to take suggestions from players or the peanut gallery.
Star Wars
Setting: More or less happening at the same time as Episode VII, player characters are force sensitives trying to learn more about their powers and the Force, optionally ending with players creating their own force powers.
Genre: It’s Star Wars. If you let me, I’ll play it darker and more cerebral than the movies, but you basically know what to expect.
Parasite Eve
The opening of a new wing of the local aquarium goes horribly wrong, with people dying of a mysterious illness, mutated specimens roaming the halls, and anyone exiting or leaving the building spontaneously combusting. Enjoy trying to figure out what’s going on. And don’t get eaten by the giant and very angry horseshoe crab, either.
Genres: Hard SF Action Horror, with a sprinkling of detective fiction in it.
Legends Alliance Chronicles the RPG (*Under Construction*)
Almost immediately after I thought of hosting a game night for LA members, I thought of LA Chron. Unfortunately there are a few problems.
I didn’t actually spend that long RPing in LA Chron, so I don’t actually know the setting that well, and
This is actually a setting D&D would do well at and I don’t actually know D&D--especially 5e--that well.
If people are interested and some of the older LA Chron RPers don’t mind an interview so I can get some important history, I’ll write a rudimentary setting guide that gives players the basic strokes already put down in the Chronicles and gives them freedom to play with the setting.
I’m not going to promise a timeline, however, because between now and then is a significant amount of hard work.
Write-In
Have an idea? Feel free to create your own. If it sounds interesting and is an idea I think I can work with, yeah, I’ll take it. Bear in mind that even if you write the best idea for a campaign ever, I might not be the correct GM to run it. Me saying I can’t run it doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea; it means my imagination doesn’t quite work in directions yours does.
But if you’re interested in GMing, the sky is the limit.
On Systems
I won’t be GMing a D&D campaign for two reasons;
The problem with D&D is that despite being famous, it’s actually a kinda finicky system to play or to run. There are a lot of rules, so the GM is constantly referring to the rulebook about saving throws and armor classes, you can never quite take your eyes off the balance or the game will explode in your face, and the gameplay is just plain slow.
I’ve enjoyed Dungeons and Dragons games, but I don’t want to GM it for this. Especially not for our first campaign.
So I’ll give you two choices;
Egann’s Homebrew
Not Gonna lie; I kinda don’t recommend this. While I wrote most of my campaign notes assuming this system, I designed it to use real dice, not webpage dice rollers. Consequently some of the mechanics--which are actually really easy to use IRL with physical dice--are really bloody hard to code for. I’m working on a variation which is easier with virtual dice, but in it’s current state it would be unfair for me to recommend this. At least, not yet.
But if you’re interested, it’s here. Especially if you’d rather roll physical dice.
Savage Worlds
Savage Worlds is also a system designed to use real dice, but because it’s extremely popular, a lot of people have already done the coding for us. SW does well for eyeballing balance, it’s fast, and it’s ridiculously easy to use, with just a bit of crunch if that’s your thing.
I won’t say SW is a perfect system--I made my own specifically because I think SW gets dice explosions upside down and makes you do a lot of unnecessary math--but at the end of the day, SW is a damn good system which mostly fits what we need.
If you permit me, I’ll paint mechanics on top so campaigns have unique flavor and mechanical interactions. After all, what’s the point in playing a tabletop RPG if you’re just going to be following the rules in the book? That’s what video games are for.
It’s after the first, and while I’m not quite as ready as I’d like on the video end of things, I’m game for a Game Night for us LAers. LA’s Discord server strikes me as a really dead simple way to make this happen.
What do you need to play:
- Discord
- Some manner of microphone
- Free Time (sessions range from 2-3 hours).
Question: If I host a game night (read; be the GM) who all is interested in playing?
Available Campaigns
I have two campaigns I’ve been writing up, but no RPG should be entirely “here’s what the GM wants to do.” If you have an idea, feel free to write your own. If a) people are interested and b) I feel it’s an idea I can actually pull off, I’d love to take suggestions from players or the peanut gallery.
Star Wars
Setting: More or less happening at the same time as Episode VII, player characters are force sensitives trying to learn more about their powers and the Force, optionally ending with players creating their own force powers.
Genre: It’s Star Wars. If you let me, I’ll play it darker and more cerebral than the movies, but you basically know what to expect.
Parasite Eve
The opening of a new wing of the local aquarium goes horribly wrong, with people dying of a mysterious illness, mutated specimens roaming the halls, and anyone exiting or leaving the building spontaneously combusting. Enjoy trying to figure out what’s going on. And don’t get eaten by the giant and very angry horseshoe crab, either.
Genres: Hard SF Action Horror, with a sprinkling of detective fiction in it.
Legends Alliance Chronicles the RPG (*Under Construction*)
Almost immediately after I thought of hosting a game night for LA members, I thought of LA Chron. Unfortunately there are a few problems.
I didn’t actually spend that long RPing in LA Chron, so I don’t actually know the setting that well, and
This is actually a setting D&D would do well at and I don’t actually know D&D--especially 5e--that well.
If people are interested and some of the older LA Chron RPers don’t mind an interview so I can get some important history, I’ll write a rudimentary setting guide that gives players the basic strokes already put down in the Chronicles and gives them freedom to play with the setting.
I’m not going to promise a timeline, however, because between now and then is a significant amount of hard work.
Write-In
Have an idea? Feel free to create your own. If it sounds interesting and is an idea I think I can work with, yeah, I’ll take it. Bear in mind that even if you write the best idea for a campaign ever, I might not be the correct GM to run it. Me saying I can’t run it doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea; it means my imagination doesn’t quite work in directions yours does.
But if you’re interested in GMing, the sky is the limit.
On Systems
I won’t be GMing a D&D campaign for two reasons;
- I don’t know D&D anywhere near well enough to GM for it, and
- What little I’ve played of D&D told me it’s an OK system, but not really well suited for this.
The problem with D&D is that despite being famous, it’s actually a kinda finicky system to play or to run. There are a lot of rules, so the GM is constantly referring to the rulebook about saving throws and armor classes, you can never quite take your eyes off the balance or the game will explode in your face, and the gameplay is just plain slow.
I’ve enjoyed Dungeons and Dragons games, but I don’t want to GM it for this. Especially not for our first campaign.
So I’ll give you two choices;
Egann’s Homebrew
Not Gonna lie; I kinda don’t recommend this. While I wrote most of my campaign notes assuming this system, I designed it to use real dice, not webpage dice rollers. Consequently some of the mechanics--which are actually really easy to use IRL with physical dice--are really bloody hard to code for. I’m working on a variation which is easier with virtual dice, but in it’s current state it would be unfair for me to recommend this. At least, not yet.
But if you’re interested, it’s here. Especially if you’d rather roll physical dice.
Savage Worlds
Savage Worlds is also a system designed to use real dice, but because it’s extremely popular, a lot of people have already done the coding for us. SW does well for eyeballing balance, it’s fast, and it’s ridiculously easy to use, with just a bit of crunch if that’s your thing.
I won’t say SW is a perfect system--I made my own specifically because I think SW gets dice explosions upside down and makes you do a lot of unnecessary math--but at the end of the day, SW is a damn good system which mostly fits what we need.
If you permit me, I’ll paint mechanics on top so campaigns have unique flavor and mechanical interactions. After all, what’s the point in playing a tabletop RPG if you’re just going to be following the rules in the book? That’s what video games are for.
