Topics

61

General Chaos / Gaming Anecdote Collections

« on: March 24, 2010, 05:18:42 PM »

I was bored today and I wanted something fun to read so I went looking for Call of Cthulhu stories. You know, tales of gamers batching everything at exactly the wrong time, everyone exploding, all that good stuff.

And I couldn't find it.

Maybe I'm not looking hard enough but there don't seem to be any stable collections of gamer stories that I can hunt down. Anybody know of any, or maybe of a better way to look?

62

General Chaos / GenCon Preparations

« on: March 22, 2010, 04:45:05 PM »

It's a little early for this topic but since registration is open, housing is filling up, and event registration is only a few weeks off, I figured this would be a good time to get some GenCon thread action going.

This year is going to be my first GenCon and I've gotten the rough details done. I have a badge purchased (though I don't actually have it in my hand yet), a room reserved off site, travel to and from the city arranged, and at least a general idea of the major events ahead of me.

So, to put it as openly as possible, what is everybody's GenCon plan for this year?

63

RPGs / Gamer Merit: Group Tact (-5 Points)

« on: March 15, 2010, 12:52:57 PM »

This week's Gamer Merit was delayed because I was out sick friday and lazy over the weekend.

Gamers toe a careful line in alot of groups. Know too much about a game and you might be considered a rules lawyer and if you know too little than you won't actually be able to play the game effectively. So, you have to pass around gaming wisdom without enraging your fellow gamers.

The Tact Merit gives a gamer bonuses on conveying information, particularly corrections, to others.

64

Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Tom's Letters

« on: March 12, 2010, 08:58:35 PM »

As per Ross's request, I am informing Tom Church that I am disappointed in him for his lack of a letter for the last several episodes.

However, the exerts which Ross has selected to read instead have been very entertaining so no harm done. Yet.

65

RPGs / Gamer Merit: Respected Authority (Cost: 5 or 15 points)(Special)

« on: March 05, 2010, 01:04:51 PM »

This week I got to play a game in a game shop (when it wasn't a big special event) for the first time in my life. I've never been close enough to a shop that I could join a regular game. So, I show up to play some Shadowrun with my character ready to play and discover that not only is everyone else still making their characters but that the GM has never actually run the game before.

I am, by default, the most experienced player at the table. Within five minutes, I'm sitting between two guys and helping them design their characters from the ground up. When someone askes a question, eyes (including the GM's) drift to me.

That inspired this week's Gamer Merit: Respected Authority.

A gamer to whom other gamers defer and ask questions of is a Respected Authority. This Mert is marked as Special for two reaons. One, it can applied multipule times (for each subject on which the gamer is an authority) and two, because it can apply to a single group or a collection based on its point cost. Each time this merit is purchase the gamer selects a subject and an area of effect for it to apply to. The subject can be anything but the area of effect determines if the merit costs 5 points or 15.

Subjects
A gamer with Gamer Authority is respected for their knowledge within a fairly narrow scope. This knowledge does not have to be directly related to gaming but since those areas come up more often the merit is more useful when taken with one.
Examples of common subjects include specific editions of games, specific subsystems of complex games, and detailed knowledge of places (real or fictional) where a game is like to occur (ie, New York, London, Hong Kong).
Less common subjects would be higher education (english major, physics, medical, etc...), real world practical skills which might come up in a game (real life blacksmith, policeofficer, peramedic), or unusual knowledges (janitor who knows how office buildings are set up).

Area of Effect
For 5 points this merit is only applicable to a single gaming group and the shared membership there of (3 to 8 individual gamers).

At 15 points the merit applies over a wider area because the gamer is recognised by a seperate authority figure or by simple word of mouth. In this case the effects of the merit may be used anywhere within the location linked to the merit (typically a game store or other congrigating site for gamers).

It is important to note that simply being an authority does not mean you will be able to call the shots. The GM still has control of the game and is free to use your information or not.

It is highly recommended that a GM have at least one Gamer Authority linked to the system he is running as a primary or long term game.

66

General Chaos / GM Day Sales

« on: March 03, 2010, 01:29:30 PM »

It's time to celebrate GMs. DriveThru RPG is having alot of sales so if your looking to go digital bargan hunting now is the time.

Arc Dream's PDFs are on sale, so are alot of Mutants and Masterminds and other Green Robin stuff. I'm going to get a couple of cheap games and some supplimental stuff.

Right now I'm checking out this d20 game called "ExorSystems, Inc". It's from like two years ago so it might've been a big thing and I just missed it but it reads like d20 modern GhostBusters with something Cosmic Horror-ish in the background. There's a free preview and I think I'm gonna pick up the main book.

67

Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / The Tomb of Coddowalshagoth: Fan Project

« on: February 25, 2010, 06:09:24 PM »

This will be the official working home for The Tomb of Coddowalshagoth. Any updates will go here, as well as links to off site information and any discussion of material elements.

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RPGs / Gamer Merit: Gamer Super-ego (-10 Points)

« on: February 25, 2010, 05:23:26 PM »

This week's merit is Gamer Super-ego. Those familiar with mental models created by a certain individual obessed with penises will recognise the term.

Super-ego opposses the id, striving for socially acceptable behavior as opposed to attempted to satisfy base desires. This is a simplistic paraphrase of Freud's concepts but who really cares?

The long and short of it is that taking this merit gives a Gamer bonuses to resist the urges which can lead to disruptive behavior (in and out of game). Gamers with Super-ego are less disruptive, more attentive, and more involved in the GM's efforts to control the game.

Gamers without this merit may see those who possess it as too serious. Gamers with the Gamer Id Flaw see them an enemy or obstacle.


I, personally, sure as hell didn't take this merit. I play by the rules most of the time but I find myself sliding into self satisfaction more than once in the course of a game.

69

RPGs / Inter-forum Links to the Logic of Gaming

« on: February 24, 2010, 01:59:42 PM »

I'm taking this thread inter-forum. Any new gaming podcast forum I get going on, I'll post a new version of this discussion and keep them all linked together. Behold!

1) Origin Thread at Role Playing Public Radio Forums.
2) Sister Thread at Nerd Bound forums.
3) Sister Thread at Swing and a Miss Forums.

70

RPGs / Begging for assistance, GURPS Templates

« on: February 22, 2010, 02:12:22 PM »

Inspired by the new episode of the podcast and my recent gaming events I've decided to plan out an investigation game. My players are sci-fi and fantasy buffs by a large, though they do enjoy CoC on occation, and to keep them interested I've decided to use something I know all of them enjoy: Mass Effect.

The game's outline is a fairly simple cop investigation theme placing the players as members of C-Sec, the civil protection service of the Citadel, or one of their contract investigators.

Basically I'm asking for help from anybody else who's played some GURPS and Mass Effect to lay out racial templates for the major races and jobs of the setting. I have vague ideas and I'm flipping through my GURPS books to get more. I only have the basic set but I might pick up some of the sci-fi ones if they have good information to draw on.

So, not asking for people to do this for me or anything, I'd just like some feedback on ideas for traits which a given race or job definitally requires.

71

RPGs / Gamer Merit: Gaming Space (Ranked Merit)

« on: February 17, 2010, 01:16:46 PM »

Going for a merit in this week's installment, inspired by my recent move to a new house.

Gaming Space is important to a game. Some people can play anywhere, for most of us a good game requires someplace with at least a few special qualities.

This merit is a ranked merit because it comes in many different levels. It's also a shared merit because members of a group can often contribute things aside from physicial space.


Gaming Space
X- You have no regular access to space. Perhaps you use a Denny's game store or other public space but you have no assured access to the space. When you do use the space it is not well suited to gaming.

0- You have occational (but not assured) access to a gaming space. This my be a section of your living space which can be used for gaming on occation or an agreement with the manager of a public access space, such as the owner of a game store who likes you enough to provide a regular table. The space is of passable quality.

00- You have dependable access to a gaming space of good quality. You may have a section of your living space dedicated to occational gaming such as a kitchen or dinning room table which can be easily cleared and used. Alternatively you may have a special arrangement with a public source such as a store owner who will hold you a table if you ask (or has enough tables that you can nearly always count on at least one being open).

000- You have an established gaming space well suited to your needs. If you game at home your space is likely in a room seperate from other household functions, allowing you to play without interruptions. If you do not game at home than you have access to a "back room" either at a game store or another establishment with private facilities. The place you use is great for gaming.

0000- You have customized your space to make it especially useful to your gaming habits. This may include additional space for drinks and snacks, side tables to keep the main table clear, chairs comfortable for long sitting periods, or other little additions.

00000- Few in the world can compare with your facilities. An entire room is completely dedicated to use for gaming and you have access to it 24/7. Whatever the game, whenever the game, you can host it with minimal effort.

Gamer Utilities
X- You have dice and a pencil. Probably not even a full set of dice, just a d20, some d6s, and two or three d10s. You often have to borrow other's dice. You own no books.

0- You have a full set of dice for a major game system. Pencil and paper are normally on hand. You've got the corebook of your main game.

00- A bag of d10s, box of d6s, and a tube of D&D dice with a few spares. No only do you keep scratch paper but you've got a few spare character sheets tucked away in that folder. Maybe a few source books or an addition core manual for another game.

000- You drop your gaming bag on the table and people's drinks get knocked over. You have enough dice to supply the table and the major books for your game of choice, with some extras on the side. Your character sheets are customized for specific character roles. Your collection is moble but only just.

0000- You can't actually bring all of your dice to the game because they won't all fit in your backpack. You likely have dedicated sets of dice depending on what character your playing. You keep seperate pens for tracking damage and game journal notes. You have a book shelf dedicated to your gaming books.

00000- People ask you alot of questions. Things like: "Is that a real d100? And it glows in the dark?" Whatever someone needs, you've got. Balrog miniture? You've got it. Dice in metal, plaster, bone, and resin, at your finger tips. Books for any system, either physicial or digital, often both. Your collection of gaming accessories is so massive it likely takes up an entire closest or more when tightly packed. If spread out it needs it's own room.

72

RPGs / Gamer Flaws: Significant Other (+5 Points)

« on: February 09, 2010, 07:05:40 PM »

I had an idea for a new series of threads focusing on the flaws and merits that Gamers have. The first one popped into my head after reading some posts by other gamers and offering my own solutions.

So, to jump right into the topic, for those of us with girlfriends, boyfriends, fiances, wives, husbands, spouses, or whatever words one uses (I work reception, I've seen ALOT of descriptions people use for their significant others), how do they deal with you gaming?

The cliche woudl be the isolated nerd who's partner (normally wife since, as everyone knows, only boys play games) doesn't understand or have any interest in the hobby and who probably mocks him for playing.

When I met my fiance she wasn't a gamer. Over the course of a few years I've managed to convert her pretty well. She games regularly and is willing to try alot of different games but takes long term breaks from the hobby every few months.

So while I game with her, alot of my gaming is with other people. She seems to be cool with that but sometimes...

How do you balance gaming and your significant other?

73

General Chaos / What they made you, A Character Thread

« on: January 29, 2010, 07:41:48 PM »

I was just reflecting on some of the characters I've played since getting the new group I play with started. It's been about a year now and I've only gotten to play a few (I mostly GM). And it occurred to me that all of my characters quickly developed in new ways after I started playing them.

I also realized that most of the things I remembered about my character weren't created by me; they where things other players had tacked on with comments or jokes. Infact, nearly every character I remember was altered significantly because other players remembering running gags or stupid things that character had done and continued to bring them up.

So, I thought I'd see what everyone else had to share.

Share memorable qualities or traits your characters developed through other player's words rather than your own ideas.


My first example is the Racist Angel James Mason. I may have shared this before, I'm not sure.

I was playing D&D 4E for the first time as a player and not a GM. I was playing a Deva (the new Aasimar) Paladin and for his in-character voice I was doing an impression of James Mason. Our party got trapped in a hedge maze and after a little discussion I turned to the party Cleric, a minotaur, and asked "Can you get us through this?"

Everyone looked at me like what I said didn't make sense. The Cleric asked, "Why are you asking me?"

I replied, "Are you going to make me say it?"

He replied, "Say what?"

I, as a player, looked back at them stunned and replied, in character (using the impression): "Well... you are a minotaur. And this is a maze."

And so my character was instantly, and forever, labeled a racist.

74

Play by Post / Rogue Trader: Between Session Thread

« on: January 25, 2010, 07:59:33 PM »

Welcome to everyone.

WARNING: This thread will contain 'spoilers' regarding the Rogue Trader actual players hosted on the Nerd Bound podcast. You are warned.




Firstly, this thread is intended for the use of current and future players in the Rogue Trader game I am GMing via Skype. Anybody who wants to can post comments and advise to the players but only the players are going to be able to make any in game choices.

The purpose of this thread is to provide a place for players to do any and all of the boring work that occurrs between game sessions and relates to the running and construction of the new colony and/or the Valkyrie, the players' starship.

This is also the place for players to ask questions of me and for other people to ask questions about the system from people who have actually played it.

To set the stage, we are exactly where we left off at the end of the last game:

The Valkyrie is currently in orbit around the unnamed planet you conquered and you are in the process of landing your forces to begin colonization of the world. Illian is currently in the process of finishing off the bombardment of the chaos infused lands (which makes for a impressive lightshow on the horizon) and Gearus is in the formerly locked command chamber with three of his senior Engineseers studying the various documents you found there.

So, what does everyone want to do? Time can move as slowly or as quickly as you feel the need to state and I'm leaving things fairly vague so you can fill in details.

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General Chaos / Article Adjective Noun Noun!

« on: January 20, 2010, 11:55:36 AM »

Another game thread. This one is based off of The Invincible Hammer Wheel.

Use an article, an adjective, and two nouns to craft a massively inappropriate character for a serious superhero style game.

Then answer the classic questions about your character:
What can they do?
How did they come by their powers?
And their motivation for going good?

Whoever stuns people into silence the most wins.