Author Topic: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin  (Read 19207 times)

Murph

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Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« on: September 30, 2009, 09:14:56 PM »
So i got to play Monsters this year at DragonCon.  Its a really cool system and setting, and if you havn't checked it out, you completely should.  However, gamers around here are SUPER SERIOUS about their games.  So in order to get the essence of monsters in, I'm going to run it with adults and giant robots, which are appearently more SUPER SERIOUS than monsters and kids, but whatever.  Everything stays.  The robots "sync" with there pilots, so relationships stay in.  Giant robots appear out of nowhere all the time in the various forms of the genre, so monster hiding stays.  The only thing I really need to change is some of the persons skills, and I can't find a way to keep monster personalities in.  If anyone has a idea for that, its appreciated.

Also Ross, when are you going to post the Monsters AP?  I want to hear the Sucrose Farms plot.

Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2009, 11:27:48 PM »
You should show them that comic that Ross linked to awhile go. That was fucking serious.

If the robots have AIs that have to be bargained with, you could do it that way. And if they happen to be alien AIs that want strange things than all the better.

clockworkjoe

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2009, 11:55:48 PM »
You should show them that comic that Ross linked to awhile go. That was fucking serious.

If the robots have AIs that have to be bargained with, you could do it that way. And if they happen to be alien AIs that want strange things than all the better.

what comic? I link to many comix

Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2009, 12:12:55 AM »
The one with the elementary school girl and her "puppy" friend.

clockworkjoe

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2009, 12:15:21 AM »

Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2009, 12:20:18 AM »
Oh yeah, that's the shit right there.

ArtfulShrapnel

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2009, 01:00:07 AM »
Your robot scenario can fit in a pre-existing setting that includes: Synching with the pilot, Robots appearing out of nowhere, Robots having a personality.

Gunbuster Renewal. Fuck yeah giant robots and Gainax.

Murph

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2009, 07:09:20 AM »
I'll try and look at that.  So far I think I might go with the Eueka 7 style of AI, just subtle impressions not actual talking.

In terms of baddies, I'm real excited. The system seems like it is capable of making SNES style bosses who have glowing red hit locations, and ridiculously large weapons.  Plus I can throw in aliens who just happen to be monster size.

Edit: the first game is Wednesday.  I'll try and record it for the eventual fan ap feed
« Last Edit: October 01, 2009, 08:08:34 AM by Murph »

ArtfulShrapnel

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2009, 02:52:02 PM »
Ooooh, I like Eureka also. It's like Eva with character development. :)

I look forward to hearing this AP.

Murph

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #9 on: October 05, 2009, 11:30:29 AM »
Here's the fluff I wrote for my players if anyone is interested

Mecha are powerful
Conventional arms are neglibile to mecha.  Generally, the only thing that can take down a mecha is another mecha.  Generally.

Mecha can do almost anything
If you want to build your mech to have a power, you probably can.  Teleportation, mind control, knock out gas, acid sprays, electronic jamming, cloaking, sandwich delivery system.  Anything that isn't an I WIN button will probably be allowed.

Mecha can appear from anywhere
The hero speaks into a watchband on his wrist.  A mecha appears.  Storeage and where your robot hides when your not in it isn't really important.  Don't get hung up on the details.  Your robot can drop from space, hide in an underground volcano, tunnel under the ground, or grow from a cube in your pocket.  Just think of something and go with it.

Mecha are special
Not everyone has one.  If someone has one, they are probably important.  Theres not a lot of infastructure set up for them, they aren't usually bought or sold, and you probably know, at least in passing, every mecha pilot out there.

Mecha can survive in any environment
Land, sea, air, space, the corona of a sun, the crushing depths of the deep ocean.  Environmental hazards are not really a consideration.

Mecha have a special bond with there pilot
In this game, pilots are chosen by their mecha.  They are synced together.  Everyone starts at sync level 0.  Increasing this sync gives potential rewards and consequences

Themes of the genre
Looking at some of the literature (i.e. cartoons), the mecha genre has a few themes
Freedom above all
The relationship between the pilot, those around him, and the giant robot,
 War is bad

History

World War II was going badly for the allies.  The German blitzkrieg has taken over most of Europe.  The US has remained nuetral in the war, and is not showing signs of trying to enter the war.  An American archeologist in the Nevada Badlands uncovers the frame of the mecha known today as Victorious.  The team and the US military study the mecha for one week, until it suddenly powers up, engaged its rocket jets, and flew into the sky.  The next day, the mecha is spotted in Brittan, fighting off bombers over London.  Victorious was piloted by Micheal Burn, a pilot in the Brittish air force.    Victorious leaves the U.K. shortly after.  The Germans surrender in a week after Victorious and Micheal Burn have leveled the German war effort and armored divisions.  Micheal Burn and Victorious become legends.

More mecha are uncovered as time gone on.  Attempts to study them are foiled as after discovery they activate and seem to choose a random human as their pilot.  Pilots seem attached to their mecha on a pychic metal.  Attempts to separate a pilot from their mecha result in violent reactions on the part of the pilot and mecha.  When a pilot dies, the mecha seems to choose another pilot at random.

The present day
It is Dec. 30th 2019.  Nations are roughly in the same configuration that they are now.  Mecha have seemed to act as a MAD deterrent, as much large nations have several mecha among there citizens.  There are currently about 500 pilots in total.  Mankind has reached Mars and started a colony there.  Surprisingly, mecha have been found on Mars, and in a greater concentration than on Earth.  Each major country on earth has a martain colony, exploiting the mineral wealth found there.  Meanwhile on Earth, pilots fufill various functions, militarily, celebrity, mercenary, human wealthfare, science and more.

Murph

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2009, 05:42:35 PM »
I've got a power gamer in my group I can tell already

Cortex (1-2) Tough x 5, then utilities and d2

Arm R (3-5) Tough x5, Attack(melee), Gnarly x4, Fast x2, Awesomex2 d2

Arm L (6-8) Tough x5, attack(reach) 3 utilities d2

Legs (9-10) Tough x5, utility

From a group stand point this is bad because I'll have to make enemies that really deal too much damage for non tough mecha to be any kind of threat.  Also emotional damage will wreck this guy.  It seems like this mech will get torn apart but I don't have the system experience to say why. 

clockworkjoe

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #11 on: October 05, 2009, 06:10:18 PM »
That's easy to deal with - useful abilities in combat can paralyze or shut down hit locations. Make a spider mecha that can tie up limbs with spray - thus hitting multiple hit locations at once.

His cortex is absolutely useless. Tough, but only 2d? That's a 10% success chance.

His arms attack is useless because with only 2 dice, any half-decent defend will gobble all of those success dice up. He'll never land a hit.

Ditto with the legs attack.

He can't be hurt but he can't do anything. With only 2 dice in most abilities he can't split actions in combat! He will fail many opposed skill checks and never hit an opponent with a decent defend.



Murph

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2009, 06:41:44 PM »
I had a question about multiple actions. If both parts have awesomex2 do you get one dice set or two?  What if only the larger of the two does?  the smaller?

clockworkjoe

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #13 on: October 05, 2009, 08:55:41 PM »
what

awesome x2 lets you change one of the dice after you roll them. That's it.


Murph

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Re: Running a Monsters and other Childish things reskin
« Reply #14 on: October 05, 2009, 09:19:59 PM »
Right, but lets say I have awesome arms with awesome x2 and attack and awesome legs with awesome x2 with defensive.  I declare that I'm gonna attack and dodge.  How many dice do I get to set?

Lets say the same parts, except arms don't have awesome and have less dice.

Finally, lets say same parts, except arms don't have awesome and have more dice.