Trad Games Chat: squabbled over drafts, forked, and disbanded

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > Trad Games Chat: squabbled over drafts, forked, and disbanded

«‹›503 »

Youremother: Dec 26, 2011; MORT

sebmojo posted:

Roll your 'remembered to gas up the getaway car' check, cletus

(critical fumble) Green handle means gasoline, right?

# ? Jan 6, 2023 00:55

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 25, 2024 10:11

Lemon-Lime: Aug 6, 2009

hyphz posted:

For one attack. Which is doubly bad if the GM has added extra opponents because there�s a Killer in the game.

Also, you�re left imagining someone diving behind a barrier, popping up again, diving again, popping up again.. �Why don�t you just keep your head down?� �I�ve got to mug the camera.�

The in-fiction explanation for exactly why a character is getting a defence bonus through the Dodge action is something you make up, via the power of imagination. It's your job (collectively, as a table) to find a description for repeatedly dodging that makes sense to everyone.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 01:27

sebmojo: Oct 23, 2010; Legit Cyberpunk

Not having read Feng shui the archetype still seems crystal clear. I presume they can unleash doves to flutter through the sun laced air like the dream of freedom they have abandoned as a minor action

# ? Jan 6, 2023 01:33

NinjaDebugger: Apr 22, 2008

sebmojo posted:

Not having read Feng shui the archetype still seems crystal clear. I presume they can unleash doves to flutter through the sun laced air like the dream of freedom they have abandoned as a minor action

No the doves are free.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 01:46

sebmojo: Oct 23, 2010; Legit Cyberpunk

NinjaDebugger posted:

No the doves are free.

Ah of course

# ? Jan 6, 2023 01:51

Helical Nightmares: Apr 30, 2009

ZearothK posted:

Not detailed enough for a F&F, but here's my take after spending the last few days on and off with the book.

-It uses its own names for everything, from player characters (Kadungganan) to turns (Fulmigations) to dice (Crocodile's Teeth) and so on and so forth. It is a clear and deliberate intent at immersion in the setting. It took me a bit to roll with it, but it grew on me and flows nicely, but I can see it being a barrier of entry.

-There's a lot of flavour, holy poo poo, so much. The worldbuilding is phenomenal and the setting feels very fresh, drawing on different tropes, myths and and history than Western RPGs, the book is successful in making me want to learn more about its world. It does use the tried and true method of "this is where lore is, this is where mechanics are", though, so it doesn't really obfuscate the actual game part.

-The setting is fantasy South East Asia during a period of constant warfare, as the core polities in the setting believe the world is ending and the victor of their conflict will get to make the new one. The five core factions are based on historical realms that existed in the region, these are Gatusan (Hindu-Buddhists), Apumbukid (Indigenous people), Akai (Islamic Sultanates), Virbanwa (Western Colonial states) and Ba-e (Sinicized kingdoms).

-Early game PCs will be doing general exploration, working for or against Warlords, solving mysteries and all that. High level play involves going into mythical realms and exchanging violence with the spiritual manifestation of Imperialism and all that.

-The art and layout is mostly great and evocative, with only a few pieces that feel dissonant. Very pretty book, good production standards for what's a very niche product.

-The narrative layer (War Drama) is very simple and narrativist, you have a dicepool based on the approach (flavoured by the Elements) you are using rolling d10's against d8's for the difficulty, successes are 6+ and 10's are doubles. You can get bonuses from equipment, convictions, etc and a re-roll metacurrency for putting the minimal effort in the description of your actions. It has partial successes and even allows for success without rolling any successes (you get what you want but eat a big consequence for it, essentially fail forward). It has clocks (called Moons), downtime actions, Raids as an adventure structure, etc; all in all it is functional contemporary design, if a bit unexciting.

-What is exciting in the War Drama layer is the social system with your Honour standing, Debts and Complications, as this is (outside the big not-Spanish colonial city where capitalism rules) a society driven by personal reputation and barter.

-Character creation for War Drama is mechanically simple, but the random tables for complications and backgrounds are very good, you can also pick from them. I rolled a bunch and I loved every single one of the melodramatic tragic badasses that popped out.

-The combat layer seems very promising and seems to be fast based on the damage, HP numbers and suggested map size (10x10 to 16x16). Do need to test it in practice and might try out a solo mode encounter later in the week and an one-shot later in January, but initial impression is that this one has potential to stand alongside Strike! and Lancer.

-It is clearly DnD 4E and FFT derived, with lots of emphasis on positioning and manipulating it and is very much gamist design. There are also elemental interactions between attacks, terrain and (optionally) the weather.

-Disciplines (the classes/jobs) come with three Violences (Attacks), a number of traits and two Techniques, but after level 1 you can learn techniques from any discipline (or learn more techniques from yours), so there's a lot of space for building unique characters for combat. You can also switch your Discipline through Downtime, which changes up your traits and Violences, but retains all learned techniques. The art for them is great!

-The Disciplines are super very distinct in function, complexity and flavour and there's 25 of them, classified as Raiders (Strikers), Sharpshooters (Artillery), Witches (Controllers), Mediums (Support) and Sentinels (Defenders). They go from relatively straightforward "I am a super mobile short ranged combatant" and "I am a martial arts elementalist with a lot of options" and "I am going to have the crap beaten out of me and then turn that into murder like a Shonen protagonist" to more arcane stuff like "I am going to spend the entire combat loving up this map and foraging for materiel to empower my abilities" or "I am a footballer and I am going to be kicking and shoving my ball into people until it gains enough momentum to cross the entire battlefield and kill everything in its path".

-You have three action points (beats), all the basic actions cost 1, but the Techniques can use from 1 to 3 beats to trigger different versions. Really like that.

-NPC profiles are very good! Clear with all the info laid out neatly. The "Gambits" part is for Solo Play, or just for a GM who wants to let dice do the thinking for them or to choose from.

-GM advice and worldbuilding are top notch. Lots of tables to roll random stuff on as needed (this is a game that supports Solo or GMless Play). As I said earlier, I should be testing it out in actual play soonish and holy poo poo, did this post get big.

tl;dr: Gunbat Banwa seems like a promising DnD 4e inspired game with pretty fresh South East Asian inspired setting. Lots of terminology to get through.

This sounds absolutely fantastic. Thank you for the writeup! I'd also love to read a report about the combat solo mode encounter if you do that.

I am excited to read about this footballer class that powers up the ball until you do a Chaos Dunk that destroys the entire board. Since it is based on 4e and FFT it sounds like there is a lot of game space to explore with different teams of Disciplines.

For the melodramatic tragic badasses, are you finding the characters generated by Gunbat Banwa to be more realistic/more maudlin than say the Exalted tragic badasses?

In additional tg news, so we don't have to focus on the same things all the time, have any of you heard of Necropolis28? The author describes it as a �narrative diorama skirmish game.� It is a skirmish wargame that focuses on Liches and their undead retinue battling for power. It is also FREE on the author's (Peter Vigors) discord here:
http://discord.gg/Eedt8xTb6w.
I have yet to read my copy, but I'm very interested.

Here is a discussion of it: https://www.goonhammer.com/necropolis28-a-narrative-diorama-skirmish-game/

I also found a solo or GM dice game called "The Inn Crowd."

Blurb posted:

Ah, the Tavern; a place for peasants, thieves, heroes and nobles to mingle, drink and share stories. This humble pile is both your home and your business. Though its beginnings may be modest, with careful management you can transform these four walls into a bustling meeting place that�s the talk of the town, and beyond!

Take your dice and see what fate has in store as you deal with staff, customers and whatever else stumbles through the door as you as you try to keep the ale flowing and the patrons happy.

This is a traditional tabletop dice game designed to be played solo or to add some flavour to a larger roleplaying campaign. All you need to get started are a handful of 6 sided dice and a pen and paper to track your progress.

I plan on possibly using it as a template for a dice game I have some thoughts about.

Free here: https://darkrealmgames.itch.io/the-inn-crowd

# ? Jan 6, 2023 01:59

grassy gnoll: Aug 27, 2006; The pawsting business is tough work.

NinjaDebugger posted:

No the doves are free.

Well yeah, they wouldn't be able to fly away in a cage.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 04:12

Tulip: Jun 3, 2008; yeah thats pretty good

Zorak of Michigan posted:

The right answer is to embrace the suck.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 06:54

canepazzo: May 29, 2006

Evil Hat launched the playtest of the newest game they're publishing, Death Match Island. Part Lost, part Battle Royale/Hunger Games, part Squid Game. It is using the Paragon System (from Agon).

Briefly going through the material, seems quite cool - I like the minimalistic style of the core book, it seems like a Lost station manual.

https://twitter.com/EvilHatOfficial/status/1611050609398140928

Receiving the playtest was pretty much immediate as I signed up. Similarly to Fria Ligan's Aliens, you can play a scenario mode or a campaign mode.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 08:33

ItohRespectArmy: Sep 11, 2019; Cutest In The World, Six Time DDT Ironheavymetalweight champion, Two Time International Princess champion, winner of two tournaments, a Princess Tag Team champion, And a pretty good singer too!
"When I was an idol, I felt nothing every day but now that I'm a pro wrestler I'm in pain constantly!"

canepazzo posted:

Evil Hat launched the playtest of the newest game they're publishing, Death Match Island. Part Lost, part Battle Royale/Hunger Games, part Squid Game. It is using the Paragon System (from Agon).

I'm very excited for this. Always thought it was a rich ground for roleplaying.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 10:12

ZearothK: Aug 25, 2008; I've lost twice, I've failed twice and I've gotten two dishonorable mentions within 7 weeks. But I keep coming back. I am The Trooper!

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2021

ItohRespectArmy posted:

I'm very excited for this. Always thought it was a rich ground for roleplaying.

It definitely is. I've ran two "Battle Royalish" short campaigns using Unknown Armies and they were both extremely fun.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 13:02

MonsieurChoc: Oct 12, 2013; Every species can smell its own extinction.

Reminds me of Deathloop a bit too, in style. A game I barely played.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 15:06

canepazzo: May 29, 2006

MonsieurChoc posted:

Reminds me of Deathloop a bit too, in style. A game I barely played.

Yep, that, PUBG and Control are the video games specifically mentioned as inspiration.

In fact, full list of inspirations:

canepazzo fucked around with this message at 16:13 on Jan 6, 2023

# ? Jan 6, 2023 15:46

Xiahou Dun: Jul 16, 2009; We shall dive down through black abysses... and in that lair of the Deep Ones we shall dwell amidst wonder and glory forever.

canepazzo posted:

Yep, that, PUBG and Control are the video games specifically mentioned as inspiration.

In fact, full list of inspirations:

drat. Snubbing the hell out of the 1999 book of Battle Royale.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 16:52

Youremother: Dec 26, 2011; MORT

Love that 60's dystopia bloodsport aesthetic. Add Rollerdrome to that list, and hell the original Rollerball as well.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 16:58

Plutonis: Mar 25, 2011

canepazzo posted:

Yep, that, PUBG and Control are the video games specifically mentioned as inspiration.

In fact, full list of inspirations:

# ? Jan 6, 2023 17:21

CitizenKeen: Nov 13, 2003; easygoing pedant

Xiahou Dun posted:

drat. Snubbing the hell out of the 1999 book of Battle Royale.

White Lotus... the soundtrack.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 17:38

Halloween Jack: Sep 12, 2003; I WILL CUT OFF BOTH OF MY ARMS BEFORE I VOTE FOR ANYONE THAT IS MORE POPULAR THAN BERNIE!!!!!

I never thought I'd say this, but I think maybe designers should watch more movies and play fewer video games. No Punishment Park?

# ? Jan 6, 2023 17:40

Xiahou Dun: Jul 16, 2009; We shall dive down through black abysses... and in that lair of the Deep Ones we shall dwell amidst wonder and glory forever.

CitizenKeen posted:

White Lotus... the soundtrack.

Yeah at first I stopped reading at the Battle Royale reference being movie only, but then it goes on.

The hell?

# ? Jan 6, 2023 17:45

CitizenKeen: Nov 13, 2003; easygoing pedant

This is new tech for me. That's cool.

The AGON system is really rock solid, so I'm curious to see what they do with it.

Also, it's an interesting publishing paradigm. Anybody can make a "PARAGON" game / playset but you have to refer to the AGON core book. But if you want to make your core mechanics exist in your own book, you have to go through Evil Hat. Simultaneously permissive and clever, I think.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 17:47

hyphz: Aug 5, 2003; Number 1 Nerd Tear Farmer 2022.

Keep it up, champ.

Also you're a skeleton warrior now. Kree.; Unlockable Ben

Whoa.

Not just no mention of the book, but no credit for Koushun Takami, the actual author of Battle Royale - just the director.

Also, Arkane Lyon written as if it's an individual's name when it's Arkane Studios Lyon branch.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 17:55

Splicer: Oct 16, 2006; from hell's heart I cast at thee
🧙🐀🧹🌙🪄🐸

Please, Arkane Studios is my father. Call my Lyon.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 18:18

Megazver: Jan 13, 2006

hyphz posted:

Whoa.

Not just no mention of the book, but no credit for Koushun Takami, the actual author of Battle Royale - just the director.

Also, Arkane Lyon written as if it's an individual's name when it's Arkane Studios Lyon branch.

I mean, it's just "poo poo I like", not list of academic sources or "every story I know of that explores a similar theme". He's allowed to like the movie but not the book, they're pretty different.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 18:20

Snooze Cruise: Feb 16, 2013; hey look,
a post

the movie is honestly better, i guess, just feels a bit weird

# ? Jan 6, 2023 18:27

Toshimo: Aug 23, 2012; He's outta line...

But he's right!

Did it ever occur to you that he just hadn't read the book?

I guess maybe just don't be weird goons about it, a high bar, I know.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 18:29

Snooze Cruise: Feb 16, 2013; hey look,
a post

Toshimo posted:

Did it ever occur to you that he just hadn't read the book?

i think that occured to most everyone yes

# ? Jan 6, 2023 18:29

Megazver: Jan 13, 2006

Snooze Cruise posted:

the movie is honestly better, i guess, just feels a bit weird

i'll be honest, i don't really see why

i walked into the thread and, to my eyes, you guys starting winding each other up over absolutely nothing

# ? Jan 6, 2023 18:30

Toshimo: Aug 23, 2012; He's outta line...

But he's right!

Me: "I like Ridley Scott's Blade Runner."
Goons, pushing their glasses up: "Don't you mean Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the original short story by celebrated author Philip K Dick, you loving plebian!"

# ? Jan 6, 2023 18:31

Leraika: Jun 14, 2015; Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.

gunbat bwana looks super hype, and I also got my advance copy of Convictor Drive, the kamen rider ttrpg, and am patiently waiting for a chance to flip through it

# ? Jan 6, 2023 18:36

Snooze Cruise: Feb 16, 2013; hey look,
a post

Megazver posted:

i'll be honest, i don't really see why

i walked into the thread and, to my eyes, you guys starting winding each other up over absolutely nothing

i mean it wouldn't be weird if they just listed both, its just the book is patient zero. im not saying its a mortal sin its just an odd thing to notice.

Toshimo posted:

Me: "I like Ridley Scott's Blade Runner."
Goons, pushing their glasses up: "Don't you mean Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the original short story by celebrated author Philip K Dick, you loving plebian!"

not a good example since those are very different stories with completely different vibes and ended up having their own separate impacts on culture

# ? Jan 6, 2023 18:36

Countblanc: Apr 20, 2005; _{Help a hero out!}

Y'all are still reading books? Lmao.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 19:03

PeterWeller: Apr 21, 2003; I told you that story so I could tell you this one.

Toshimo posted:

Me: "I like Ridley Scott's Blade Runner."
Goons, pushing their glasses up: "Don't you mean Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the original short story by celebrated author Philip K Dick, you loving plebian!"

You properly italicized its title, but you called it a short story. What kind of loving Philistine are you?

:v:

# ? Jan 6, 2023 19:06

Tulip: Jun 3, 2008; yeah thats pretty good

Gunbat Bwana looks so drat cool but I'm not sure if I'd have a reason to buy it other than the lore and maybe to support the creation of less western centric trad gaming.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 19:24

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

My influences:
The first six pages, the last page, and the Cliff's Notes of Moby Dick by uh, you know. The Moby Dick guy. Uhhh. gently caress. Ishmael something?
...also the character Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica, based on the character from Moby Dick probably
Posh Spice
The complete catalog of Arnold Swarzenegger movies, except for Terminator: Salvation, that movie ruined the franchise
Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582, by Johann Sebastian Bach and Andre Raison, and Dietrich loving Buxtehude, let's not forget Bach was responding to these musical giants
Flip or Flop, seasons 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7
All Along the Watchtower by U2

# ? Jan 6, 2023 19:40

MonsieurChoc: Oct 12, 2013; Every species can smell its own extinction.

Anyway I'm gonna give Deathmatch Island a shot.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 19:47

Epi Lepi: Oct 29, 2009; You can hear the voice
Telling you to Love
It's the voice of MK Ultra
And you're doing what it wants

Leperflesh posted:

My influences:

All Along the Watchtower by U2

This hurt me the most for some reason.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 20:06

CitizenKeen: Nov 13, 2003; easygoing pedant

Leperflesh posted:

My influences:
The first six pages, the last page, and the Cliff's Notes of Moby Dick by uh, you know. The Moby Dick guy. Uhhh. gently caress. Ishmael something?
...also the character Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica, based on the character from Moby Dick probably
Posh Spice
The complete catalog of Arnold Swarzenegger movies, except for Terminator: Salvation, that movie ruined the franchise
Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582, by Johann Sebastian Bach and Andre Raison, and Dietrich loving Buxtehude, let's not forget Bach was responding to these musical giants
Flip or Flop, seasons 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7
All Along the Watchtower by U2

# ? Jan 6, 2023 20:12

Youremother: Dec 26, 2011; MORT

Sometimes your perception of what a work of media is like is more important than the actual content of the work as an influence.

# ? Jan 6, 2023 20:31

Halloween Jack: Sep 12, 2003; I WILL CUT OFF BOTH OF MY ARMS BEFORE I VOTE FOR ANYONE THAT IS MORE POPULAR THAN BERNIE!!!!!

Leperflesh posted:

The complete catalog of Arnold Swarzenegger movies, except for Terminator: Salvation, that movie ruined the franchise

# ? Jan 6, 2023 20:48

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 25, 2024 10:11

DalaranJ: Apr 15, 2008; Yosuke will now die for you.

Leperflesh posted:

My influences:
The first six pages, the last page, and the Cliff's Notes of Moby Dick by uh, you know. The Moby Dick guy. Uhhh. gently caress. Ishmael something?
...also the character Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica, based on the character from Moby Dick probably
Posh Spice
The complete catalog of Arnold Swarzenegger movies, except for Terminator: Salvation, that movie ruined the franchise
Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582, by Johann Sebastian Bach and Andre Raison, and Dietrich loving Buxtehude, let's not forget Bach was responding to these musical giants
Flip or Flop, seasons 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7
All Along the Watchtower by U2

Okay, now make an rpg.

e: Let me clarify tone here.
I think it would be really funny if someone made an rpg based on this list. Or even, we should host a contest where you have to make an RPG based off a hastily assembled 'appendix N'.

DalaranJ fucked around with this message at 23:47 on Jan 6, 2023

# ? Jan 6, 2023 23:43

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > Trad Games Chat: squabbled over drafts, forked, and disbanded

«‹›503 »