Comments on: RPPR Actual Play: The Age of Masks 3

By: Scott Z

Scott Z — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:55:27 +0000

I liked this game more than I thought I would. I listened to the first session, then browsed the comments here, and then listened to Session #3 (I skipped #2). I was bracing myself for an out-of-genre ending, which I like even less than a dues ex machina ending. I didn’t recall much mention of genre crossing from the first session, so I wary of a bad climax. I thought it worked out okay nonetheless. The out-of-genre problem can be solved with enough foreshadowing. Maybe there was more forwshadowing in the second session to prepare the players for an otherwise unfair twist; I don’t know. There was enough foreshadowing here in the third session.

Furthermore, Ross simply designed a campaign world which is a system that works within its own context and makes its own type of sense. Lastly, the players just enjoyed it.

There did seem to be a lot of table time wasted at the beginning of the session by plotting an ambush celebration which was never going to happen. That part did leave me wondering, ‘What the huh?’

Allowing each character a monologue moment near the end with direct game consequences was a great move. Silver Scarab forever!

Overall, I’d give it a B+. It was a fun game to hear played.

By: Christoph

Christoph — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:12:58 +0000

Actually the original Star Trek did have stasis tubes. In the episode Space Seed (1967) , the Crew of the sleeper ship SS Botany Bay including Khan Noonien Singh were Cryogenically frozen in suspended animation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Seed

By: Ross

Ross — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:12:51 +0000

Actually, the KiY is a creation of Robert W. Chambers, a writer who influenced Lovecraft.

The Hastur Mythos have been placed inside the Cthulhu mythos for a while but they are a distinct myth cycle, I think. Read “The Hastur Mythos”in Delta Green Countdown for more info.

By: Droog

Droog — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:18:31 +0000

The King in Yellow?! Ross must you put Lovecraft into everything!?
Superheroes plus Cthulhu mythos is an …interesting mash-up to say the least. :-/

By: Ed

Ed — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:20:37 +0000

You fools!
Existential dread wins!

By: Rayner23

Rayner23 — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:48:49 +0000

Patrick . . . thank you so much. I needed a confidence booster today and that did it for me. I really appreciate it.

This was a really fun scenario, but I’m not a fan of the guess work it takes to figure out damage in the M&M system. Just my personal opinion.

Also, I really tried to be serious for this game. I really did.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:24:28 +0000

Tom and Cody’s characters rushing into battle against TKIY was really great.

And Bill’s “what the fuck! what fuck the fuck! fuck” lol

By: Joe Stivala

Joe Stivala — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:52:15 +0000

Great story, gave me something good to listen on the way to work. Also made me look in to the whole The King in Yellow book.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:29:49 +0000

I guess I’m still trying to figure out the entire “Cthulu Meets Swashbuckling (Sloth-style) Meets Political Intrigue In The Realm Of The Old Ones” ending… I guess I’ll have to ponder that scenario on a day when my brain isn’t the consistency of over-boiled carrots.
I did, however, really dig the whole “dream” ending. I thought it was a poetic way to end an epic session!
Ross is a maestro of chaos. I love how Ross will keep talking, even when the players are at their disorganized finest.
I enjoyed Cody’s table presence (as always) and I especially like the irreverence that he brings to the games. I really enjoy those moments when Ross is being serious and Cody breaks in with a ” Well EEEEXXXCUSE the fuck out of me ROSS!”… just classic moments around the game table.
Tom, you seemed kind of reserved during this AP, although you seemed to perk up a bit when The Revenant (sp) toyed with the idea of burning his “prisoner” alive. Can we please get some more sedated-man-tied-to-a-chair-threatened-with-immolation-”holyfuckwhathappenetoyourface!” scenes in the next session!? Haha…
I admire Aaron as a roleplayer despite his insistence on prefacing nearly every sentence while in character with “it’s like…” I was especially diggin’ the bionic commando meets silver scarab thing!
All in all, another brilliant session guys! Keep playing and thanks for letting me listen…

By: Richard Tufts

Richard Tufts — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:35:54 +0000

Yes
Yes!

Oh my God, yes!

By: boyos

boyos — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:45:21 +0000

brovo! great ending!

By: Tadanori Oyama

Tadanori Oyama — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:42:46 +0000

When I first listened to this I didn’t see the ending coming at all. The second listen through I recalled how Ross runs games and felt it came through alot better. A good game in general.

I liked the Elite’s experience outside of the Facility. “Yeah, fine, I’m visible now: FEAR ME!”