16
RPGs / Re: Misc. Question
« on: June 17, 2011, 10:54:33 AM »My pick though is Big Bill's Big Ass Thaumaturgical Supply and Adult Novelty Gifts Shop.
Oh hey! You've been to my store! Let me get you a coupon...
News:
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Oh hey! You've been to my store! Let me get you a coupon...
17
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Close Call
« on: May 23, 2011, 10:21:09 PM »
Essentially, if that same storm had veered a bit north instead of a bit south as it came east, we all could have gotten it in the face. A bit as in about 10 miles. I was watching the radar with *extreme* intent about 710 last night.
18
RPGs / Re: Gaming Grid Recommendations
« on: April 02, 2011, 03:25:07 PM »
I dearly love my Tact-Tiles, but that company went under. Battlegraphs are cheaper, but a bit more fragile. Still probably the best choice for modular grids. Accessible through this elegant and finely-crafted link: www.longtoothstudios.com/blog
19
General Chaos / Re: Everyone Betrays Me!: The Room Tribute Thread
« on: March 06, 2011, 02:27:46 PM »
This part can't be embedded, but it's even better.
"The Room is The Room."
Genius.
Edit: Found the second video.
20
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: The Heroes of New Arcadia - RPPR Superheroes campaign - Wild Talents
« on: February 25, 2011, 05:58:55 PM »:|
Yeah, what now Ross!
You got called out on your slackassery!
When are you going to quit wasting time and finish characterizing Jason's NPCs?
Hairy balls of the gods are you lazy.
Fucker.
This post brought to you by Straight Talk, and totally not sarcasm. At all.
21
RPGs / Re: EXP Free is the way to be...
« on: February 19, 2011, 02:41:15 AM »
Just had a bit of a (narrow) epiphany, regarding 4e.
One of the things I recall Ross railing about during the epic tier was the refresh on dailies wrecking the divide between plot and fights. That is, unless he pushed us into more fights per day of story than he wanted, our dailies recharged and anything resembling a balanced encounter on paper was a cakewalk.
However, this thread crystallized a thought I'd been having about that. Much like abstract XP/leveling, a GM would be quite well served to toss the 'daily' part out of dailies. That is, limit extended rests to GM caveat. Hopefully, we all run with understanding tables who would accepts this, especially since the extended rest assumes 6 (8?) hours of downtime.
That said, if you've got a table of rules lawyers who like there RPGs GM v. PC, a simple plan would help. Simply inform the overeager-for-sleeping players that they're not in a place where they could reasonably set up camp without fear of attack. If they insist, BAM! encounter. No extended rest for you! Repeat as necessary, sprinkled liberally with reminders of your previous statement about safety, etc.
Simply remove the semantic loading of 'daily'. Hell, I'd venture a guess that calling them such could be considered a major foul-up on the part of the designers, save that 'Daily' is a bit cooler, more understandable than any alternative I can come up with. High Mama-jama? Big Kablooies? F'em-up-goods?
Thoughts?
One of the things I recall Ross railing about during the epic tier was the refresh on dailies wrecking the divide between plot and fights. That is, unless he pushed us into more fights per day of story than he wanted, our dailies recharged and anything resembling a balanced encounter on paper was a cakewalk.
However, this thread crystallized a thought I'd been having about that. Much like abstract XP/leveling, a GM would be quite well served to toss the 'daily' part out of dailies. That is, limit extended rests to GM caveat. Hopefully, we all run with understanding tables who would accepts this, especially since the extended rest assumes 6 (8?) hours of downtime.
That said, if you've got a table of rules lawyers who like there RPGs GM v. PC, a simple plan would help. Simply inform the overeager-for-sleeping players that they're not in a place where they could reasonably set up camp without fear of attack. If they insist, BAM! encounter. No extended rest for you! Repeat as necessary, sprinkled liberally with reminders of your previous statement about safety, etc.
Simply remove the semantic loading of 'daily'. Hell, I'd venture a guess that calling them such could be considered a major foul-up on the part of the designers, save that 'Daily' is a bit cooler, more understandable than any alternative I can come up with. High Mama-jama? Big Kablooies? F'em-up-goods?
Thoughts?
22
General Chaos / Re: What Vidja games are you playing?
« on: February 10, 2011, 12:32:07 AM »
Bought Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness Ep. 1&2 on Steam sale a couple of weeks ago. Definitely worth the $3. Kinda sad the 3rd episode died. Been reading the text version, but it's just not the same.
Also Magicka. Fuck yeah, Magicka. Played through the adventure this weekend. Got to wave 14 in the forest challenge tonight. Protip: Summon Elemental good, Thunderstorm bad.
Also Magicka. Fuck yeah, Magicka. Played through the adventure this weekend. Got to wave 14 in the forest challenge tonight. Protip: Summon Elemental good, Thunderstorm bad.
23
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: 4e combat speed
« on: February 09, 2011, 04:03:35 AM »Don't do combat. Skill challenges for all!!!!!
This, kinda.
Only not.
D&D4E is a pretty cool game (It kills all the nomsters and doesnt afraid of nothing).
Assembling and running encounters is incredi-easy from the GM's side, almost effortless if you do a little reading at the start.
However! D&D, both 3.X/Pathfinder/etc. and 4E have an unspoken requirement of tactical thinking from the players to run smoothly.
Personally, I like this. It rewards understanding & analysis of the game system.
That said, I'm well aware that thinking, especially analytically, != fun for many people. If the frontload of work is a funsuck for a large part of your group, do yourselves a favor and use a different game.
Savage Worlds springs to mind, though I have exactly 0 experience with it. If there's not a fantasy kitbash out there for ORE, some published author is falling down on the job. Hell, it could be that some of the OD&D fanstuff out on the web would suit.
Sure, these options involve effort, maybe some cash, and identifying what you actually want your game to do. I think, though, that it's a better alternative to letting the system bog down the game your group actually wants to play.
Let me be clear and repetitive: I loves me some 4E. I think it's a great game, but it is complex in ways that aren't spelled out in the books. I think anyone would be better off to find a system that does what their group needs, rather than play half-assed, un-fun D&D.
Alternatively: invest in the 4E Player's Strategy Guide, accessible through this elegant and finely crafted link: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd_products_dndacc_253820000
It's got a lot of sillycool fluff that's kinda hit or miss, but there are some bits that actually detail the underlying logic of focus fire, etc. Always nice to have a better reason for doing things than simply because we said to.
24
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: 4e combat speed
« on: February 08, 2011, 06:53:46 AM »
Dammit, Ross, get out of my brain.
There are some blog posts out there somewhere that talk about the design iterations of monsters - especially solos - from MM1 to MM2 to MM3. Could be used to redeem earlier critters.
Talk your GM into giving out AC & defense numbers with a successful monster knowledge check. These are, IIRC, free actions - or should be. Your GM could make these: http://slyflourish.com/monster-knowledge-cards/
Now, instead of roll-check with GM-roll dmg, roll the hit & dmg together & check for yourself. A few seconds, yes, but when they matter each turn, it adds up.
Character Builder. For everyone. Make them. The single most important part: bonus pre-totaled for each different power. Betcha that cuts 5-10 seconds of adding each action (more, if the math skills are bad like whoa).
Physical represntation of bonii/penalties. So, the basic CB power is all totaled up, but what about flanking/feats/save-ends reffects/etc. This is the one I'm guilty of. Get a notepad (Ross could recommend some) and tear off bits to scibble numbers to drop on your character sheet to remind you of stuff. Or try to stick to static bonii, but that's nigh impossible.
The biggie: good tactics. I'd wager 5 minutes (if that) at the start of the encounter to plan could drasticly shorten things up. However, that assumes people make a plan and stick to it. Do you (collectively) use focus fire? Flanking & other combat-advantage stuff? Cover/concealment? I love playing with the RPPR crew, but in the fights I was around for in the New World, we presented all the tactical accumen of a herd of cats. Yes, this makes things require planning & adhearance to plans, but that's what you get if you're using D&D AND don't want a grind factory.
D&D rewards good tactics, except more often people just see the negatives due to playing like a bunch 3rd graders chasing a socccer ball, then complain that it's the game's fault. I choose to think, instead, that the use of good tactics is the final unwritten assumption still left in the game. If you don't want that kind of play, go find something rules-light-er and paint it with D&D backdrops. You'l probably be much happier.
Sorry, that kind of turned into a rant, didn't it...
There are some blog posts out there somewhere that talk about the design iterations of monsters - especially solos - from MM1 to MM2 to MM3. Could be used to redeem earlier critters.
Talk your GM into giving out AC & defense numbers with a successful monster knowledge check. These are, IIRC, free actions - or should be. Your GM could make these: http://slyflourish.com/monster-knowledge-cards/
Now, instead of roll-check with GM-roll dmg, roll the hit & dmg together & check for yourself. A few seconds, yes, but when they matter each turn, it adds up.
Character Builder. For everyone. Make them. The single most important part: bonus pre-totaled for each different power. Betcha that cuts 5-10 seconds of adding each action (more, if the math skills are bad like whoa).
Physical represntation of bonii/penalties. So, the basic CB power is all totaled up, but what about flanking/feats/save-ends reffects/etc. This is the one I'm guilty of. Get a notepad (Ross could recommend some) and tear off bits to scibble numbers to drop on your character sheet to remind you of stuff. Or try to stick to static bonii, but that's nigh impossible.
The biggie: good tactics. I'd wager 5 minutes (if that) at the start of the encounter to plan could drasticly shorten things up. However, that assumes people make a plan and stick to it. Do you (collectively) use focus fire? Flanking & other combat-advantage stuff? Cover/concealment? I love playing with the RPPR crew, but in the fights I was around for in the New World, we presented all the tactical accumen of a herd of cats. Yes, this makes things require planning & adhearance to plans, but that's what you get if you're using D&D AND don't want a grind factory.
D&D rewards good tactics, except more often people just see the negatives due to playing like a bunch 3rd graders chasing a socccer ball, then complain that it's the game's fault. I choose to think, instead, that the use of good tactics is the final unwritten assumption still left in the game. If you don't want that kind of play, go find something rules-light-er and paint it with D&D backdrops. You'l probably be much happier.
Sorry, that kind of turned into a rant, didn't it...
25
RPGs / Re: Licensed RPGs are the devil
« on: January 29, 2011, 09:24:42 AM »...some sort of Hipster Conspiracy?
Oh man, that is so becoming a DRYH NPC group if/when I run it again!
26
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: The next big RPPR campaign - what will it be?
« on: December 28, 2010, 04:24:24 AM »
*Sigh* Had this about 2/3 finished, then phone browser crashed & ate it. Ain't technology grand?
Anyways, I've been kicking around a concept for this here game, as my new work schedule may allow me to participate. Here goes.
The Philosopher-King
He's just this guy, you know? More specifically, he's that one guy in every humanities class in college who fully drinks the Kool-Aid. The one who, each semester, is all et up (as they say in my homelands) with whatever new philosopher/political theorist/etc. he's got a class about. He's convinced that if everyone just understood Budhism/Marx/Tolstoy/Hobbes/meh like he now does (i.e. barely), the world would be this incredible, harmonious, enlightened place. In particular, the P-K is totally blown away by a too-literal reading of The Republic (maybe minus the homo-eroticism. Maybe) and Also Sprach Zarathustra. For the non-classicists in the audience, he 'believes' in a dual physical/mental meritocracy, with a super/overman at the top (hm I wonder who that could be). He's in the heroing business to make himself know as the thinking man's choice for Ruler of Everything '12, and to become more powerful through the acquisition of lost schema & gnosis.
Powers:
For starters, I'd work up versions of the newmatter bolt/cord/sphere combo from Neal Stephenson's Anathem, which I'm stealing much from anyway. Then, power level permitting, I'd buy some powers of limited reality warping, either as in the Millenarian many-worlds tricks, again from Stephenson, or as minor philosophical shout-outs, al a the Dungeons & Discourses bits of Dresden Codak.
As for drawbacks: either powerlevel or safety. Powerlevel: the reality warp is very limited, and as such requires more clever than brute-force application. Safety: when you're yanking on the rigging of reality, what happens if you tug the wrong rope?
Thoughts?
Anyways, I've been kicking around a concept for this here game, as my new work schedule may allow me to participate. Here goes.
The Philosopher-King
He's just this guy, you know? More specifically, he's that one guy in every humanities class in college who fully drinks the Kool-Aid. The one who, each semester, is all et up (as they say in my homelands) with whatever new philosopher/political theorist/etc. he's got a class about. He's convinced that if everyone just understood Budhism/Marx/Tolstoy/Hobbes/meh like he now does (i.e. barely), the world would be this incredible, harmonious, enlightened place. In particular, the P-K is totally blown away by a too-literal reading of The Republic (maybe minus the homo-eroticism. Maybe) and Also Sprach Zarathustra. For the non-classicists in the audience, he 'believes' in a dual physical/mental meritocracy, with a super/overman at the top (hm I wonder who that could be). He's in the heroing business to make himself know as the thinking man's choice for Ruler of Everything '12, and to become more powerful through the acquisition of lost schema & gnosis.
Powers:
For starters, I'd work up versions of the newmatter bolt/cord/sphere combo from Neal Stephenson's Anathem, which I'm stealing much from anyway. Then, power level permitting, I'd buy some powers of limited reality warping, either as in the Millenarian many-worlds tricks, again from Stephenson, or as minor philosophical shout-outs, al a the Dungeons & Discourses bits of Dresden Codak.
As for drawbacks: either powerlevel or safety. Powerlevel: the reality warp is very limited, and as such requires more clever than brute-force application. Safety: when you're yanking on the rigging of reality, what happens if you tug the wrong rope?
Thoughts?
27
General Chaos / Re: The Late-Night Thread
« on: December 28, 2010, 02:16:58 AM »
Hrm, interesting concept, this late night whiskey.
Should get some for my nights off, now that I'm back to overnights.
Speaking of which, overnights + smartphone = more forum partipation, mehbehs.
Gonna try to *finally* write up a town for Dogs in the Vineyard later.
Should get some for my nights off, now that I'm back to overnights.
Speaking of which, overnights + smartphone = more forum partipation, mehbehs.
Gonna try to *finally* write up a town for Dogs in the Vineyard later.
28
General Chaos / Re: The <insert> Days of Christmas...
« on: December 23, 2010, 01:44:36 PM »
On the seventh day of Christmas, my GM gave to me:
Eight Lockes a'scheming
Seven PC's Looting
Six Pounds of dice
Five ka-ta-nas!
Four Radeon HD 6970s
Three Slendemans
Two Level-ups
and a copy of TMNT (by Palladium)
C'mon, "GM" makes more sense than "true love" here, right?
Because if someone loved you, they wouldn't buy you Palladium!
Eight Lockes a'scheming
Seven PC's Looting
Six Pounds of dice
Five ka-ta-nas!
Four Radeon HD 6970s
Three Slendemans
Two Level-ups
and a copy of TMNT (by Palladium)
C'mon, "GM" makes more sense than "true love" here, right?
Because if someone loved you, they wouldn't buy you Palladium!
29
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Ruins of Lemuria Kickstarter
« on: November 28, 2010, 11:01:59 AM »The Preview APs are up
. . .
# RPPR-4E-DnD-Strange-Land01.mp3
>8|
Ughwhy?
Why do you always betray me, Ross?
30
General Chaos / Re: RPPR recommended Literature. (also romance novels)
« on: November 25, 2010, 05:33:20 PM »
No! Wood! Wood will you trade for sheep! Wood!
...Meanwhile...
I read The Magicians in about 2 days last week. It was a bit of a downer in the end, but still really compelling. I especially liked that I figured out the Watcherwoman before the reveal - usually I can't see those sort of things a mile away.
No image, since I'm posting via phone, but has anyone else read The Name of The Wind? It's sequel is the other reason March will be a banner book month for me (the first being the next Dresden Files book).
...Meanwhile...
I read The Magicians in about 2 days last week. It was a bit of a downer in the end, but still really compelling. I especially liked that I figured out the Watcherwoman before the reveal - usually I can't see those sort of things a mile away.
No image, since I'm posting via phone, but has anyone else read The Name of The Wind? It's sequel is the other reason March will be a banner book month for me (the first being the next Dresden Files book).