Pre-title Scene
Arlington-esque cemetery, in the lashing rain. Black garbed figures, including Joshua, Thomas and Seth bury the remains of Project Ares. A full military gun salute sends a flock of birds flying into the storm. A limousine pulls up and an unknown man rolls down the window and, speaking to a mobile phone, states that ‘It is time he knows the truth.’
Titles!
Seth appears in the Thorne Industries security control room, to speak to Thomas. He demands that Thomas finds him something to do as he is bored! This is a pretense for the real reason for the visit, Seth would like Thomas to investigate ‘The Man from the Government’ who recruited him last week to serve as a Promethean ‘ambassador’ to Israel in light of the disappearance of the Israeli hero Masada. [The presence of the rogue Promethean ‘Saladin’, with telekinetic powers involving a sword and a carpet was mentioned]. The two argue, as Thomas does not want to investigate his own government contact. Seth stresses Thomas out and he rages at his computer, unwilling to discuss the matter anymore.
Joshua faces a meeting of the Thorne Industries board, who want an explanation for his takeover of his father’s position and the public announcement that he was suspending the Government contract to find the genetic trigger for secondary Prometheans and seeking to make ‘a better place for all’. Some heated debate ensues, with Mr Brown – the finance director – being particularly offensive in his summation of Joshua’s suitability to lead the company. The Board try to usurp Joshua but he reveals that he has bought a majority shareholding. They resign en masse, with Mr Brown venting his spleen on the steps of Thorne Industries (complication…)
One of the directors remains, Mr Antoine Olivier who reveals that he runs one of Professor Thorne’s private divisions, Biodynamics. Joshua is taken into BioDynamics and shown Lab X. He has the purpose of Lab X revealed (To develop a non-Promethean method of creating superhumans as an army to protect America from Prometheans) He is then shown their super-soldier … Project Ares! (Who was recloned at the end of last session). He explains a little of the Project Ares background and notes that two of them cannot be active at the same time or they would share the same memories and psychic powers and the feedback would send them mad. Remember the scene at the end of last session where the other Ares was revealed as still alive? Oh dear…
This version is sparring with some security guards, and beating them. He is being monitored by Jessie (Joshua’s sometimes girlfriend, see last AP). Ares tries to become Jessie’s ‘friend’ but she completely belittles him, with one eye on Joshua, telling him that he is nothing more than a virus grown in a petri dish etc. Ares is suddenly very insecure… and cries (complication). Mr Olivier asks Joshua to take Ares back to the Institute and explain his resurrection.
Later, Thomas tries to take advantage of the fragile Jessie and recruit her as a mole in BioDynamics. She is, however, the daughter of Agent Orange and knows how to keep secrets when it counts. She ends up leaving, insecure after the meeting, but resilient due to her Secret Agent Brat training.
In the now continuous ‘Mess Jessie Up Fest’, Seth decides to go to her apartment and speak to her as he knows he is about to go to Israel and might not be coming back. Really, he’s trying to seduce her. (Complication: he is seen entering the apartment by the paparazzi who are constantly covering Jessie since her Oprah appearance.) Jessie eventually gives in and Seth disappears into the bedroom with her!
Meanwhile Thomas confronts the resurrected Ares and questions him on his reappearance, challenging him on his connections to BioDynamics (using his abilities to have some BioDynamics debris from the explosion last session). In a tense conflict, the relationship between the two changes as Ares asserts his power and Thomas ends up ‘afraid’ of this powerful ‘ally’. Agent Orange looks on… (complication)
[And now, the most devastating, key scene of the game so far…]
Joshua teleports into Jessie’s flat to try to patch up their relationship and encounters Seth in his boxer shorts and Jessie coming out of her bedroom in a pyjama top, open to the waist. There’s no doubt what has occurred here. Joshua is furious and states that Seth has gone over a line that shouldn’t be crossed. Seth counters with the fact that Joshua has done a lot worse! Joshua punches Seth, but just bruises his hand on his invulnerable face. Seth tries to calm Joshua down and understand that everything is fine between them. Jessie wants Joshua to feel some of the pain that she has felt when he has betrayed her. Many relationships and values are challenged. Joshua realises seeing Jessie in the arms of another man hurts more than he could imagine. Emotional carnage ensues. Joshua teleports away, furious.
Jessie, however, wants to make more of this and tries to get a commitment from Seth. Seth does not do commitment. Jessie is devastated. Complications mean that Jessie may be pregnant (!) and another has Agent Orange (her father and a known-to-Seth ally of Agent Tempest and the Renegades) arrives and seeing his daughter distressed, pulls a gun and demands Seth leaves. He turns off Seth’s invulnerability and then shoots him, scarring the face of the century! Seth gathers his things and flies off!
[And breathe!]
Ares updates his online fanbase of his return. He is challenged to prove that this hasn’t actually all been a publicity stunt. He wins the conflict and manages to get four (4!) complications out of the Trouble pool. They turn out that some rumours are flying around that he is a God, some rumours are flying around that there is a Cult of Ares springing up, the information has flew around the planet at the speed of the internet and he is rapidly becoming very famous and him now also being deployed in Israel.
Joshua orders Thomas to lock Seth out of Thorne Towers, as he is no longer welcome (!). The situation could act as a degree of catharsis for Thomas, but no. Joshua then directs Thomas to investigate BioDynamics and gives him the details of Mr Olivier. [Thomas has been trying all session to find an ‘in’ to BioDynamics and now he has it handed to him on an in-story plate]
Seth arrives, is locked out, and is confronted by Thorne Security. He chooses to fly up and land through Joshua’s window. He demands that he has access to the building replaced. Joshua realises the power of the individual he is angry with, gaining Afraid stress, but not letting Seth back into the building. Thomas enters the scene and demands that Seth leaves, which he does, collecting his stuff.
[And now a scene where I challenged the players of Seth, Ares and Thomas to play three political talking heads in a TV debate involving Joshua. A wonderful twenty minutes of pure roleplaying gold erupted with them taking on roles ‘influenced’ by Newt Gingrich, Hilary Clinton and Richard Dawkins. Really cool, clever stuff from everyone involved. Two things did come from it – ‘Newt’ announced that the Senate was passing an emergency bill to relinquish control of the Prometheus Institute from Thorne Industries and place it under the control of the Department for Defence, and when questioned about the battle between Seth and Tempest, Joshua mentioned that they were unsure whether Tempest was actually the aggressor in that conflict!]
In a cut scene, we see Masada being emptied of glue in a LabX style facility, regenerating and then raging about how the young American (ie. Seth) must pay!
Finally (!) Seth, Ares, Agent Orange (oh no tension here…) and a bevvy of marines and PR people are on an army plane to Israel. As they approach Tel Aviv, the pilot screams that something has missile lock on the plane. Ares dives into the pilot’s seat and begins evasive action and Seth, the only flying Promethean on the planet, launches himself to deal with the three missiles, which he does! A slew of complications against Watchtower result in the attackers being seen and found by Israeli security and the entire affair being covered on TV, hardly doing the US heroes any harm on the PR front.
Back in the US, Thomas enters BioDynamics using his shadow walk powers, but complications! Jessie is in the room where he enters. They confront each other – her about why he is here and him about what BioDynamics is doing? They are interrupted by Mr Olivier and Thomas tries to get them to confess to everything. This triggers a protective subroutine that Ares has implanted in the system, aiding Olivier and Thomas cannot move them. As a counter-proposal Mr Olivier suggests that they may have mutual friends (they do, the Man in the Government is Thomas’ contact and also a director of BioDynamics who work for … the Government.) and that, considering the circumstances, Thomas should come over to HIS side and work for BioDynamics. Considering everything, Thomas agrees (the player gave in, because it was so interesting!)
Joshua attends the Emergency Senate Hearing on the acquisition of the Prometheus Institute. After some debate he sees off the Bill and walks away with a new government contract but also the attentions of a new Senate Oversight Committee.
In Israel, Seth and Ares are taken from a number of publicity junkets and go on one of Masada’s patrols through the contested parts of Gaza. In a prime ambush location, they are indeed ambushed by a single gun-toting terrorist-type. The marines shoot him, but each time he is shot, he replicates into another being until there are thirty of him. Saladin (yeah, he was narrated in at the start of the episode so I’ll run with him here…) appears and orders the infidel’s to be slaughtered.
To Be Continued…
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
AP: Smallville 1.1 - Strange Bedfellows
Pre-Title Scenes
Thomas Jackson (Nigel) uses his stealthy shadow powers to ghost into a locked vault to retrieve a computer file.
Project Ares (Dave) is a witness to a robbery at a liquor store and uses his time stop powers to interfere wurg the crime, pay for his beer and exit the scene.
Seth Adams (Andrew) is partying on top of Thorne Towers (one of the main sets for the game) with the students from his University, cavorting with both the male and female guests in the hot tub.
Joshua Thorne (Ian) wakes up next to a naked actress in his penthouse suite in Thorne Towers, realises he is late for a press conference on the TV and teleports to said scene. He is never late.
Introduction
In a world where superpowered beings are the equivalent of nuclear weapons, tensions are running high. The Prometheans have existed since the 60s until the peace treaties of the late 80s and the age of Promethean decommissioning. Prometheans have their inbuild genetic trigger activated and are depowered. Slowly, they retreat from the world ... until a child is born with Promethean powers. The appearance of Seth Adams and the other second generation Prometheans sends the world into a desperate power struggle. Some states reactivate their Prometheans, some throw theirs into prison camps and others scramble to reestablish their programs. The Americans hand over their program, officially, to the Promethean Institute and Professor Thorne (the superpowered version of Oppenheimer). Officially. Honest...
The game begins as Professor Thorne is expected to speak at a UN Symposium on his progression in the field of Promethean Proliferation and the creation of a genetic trigger for secondary Prometheans
Scenes
Joshua Thorne confronts Professor Thorne about the content of the speech and browbeats him into giving him a copy so that he can read it through himself. (Prof. Thorne given d10 insecure stress)
Thomas Jackson meets with 'Agent Orange', his partner as Prometheus Institute security and plans the security for the UN address, at the Black Bean Coffee Shop (a set in the game) and then the same Agent moves on to confront Ares, who is also at the Coffee Shop. They have a very spikey conversation, as there is no love lost between Orange and Ares. Ares tries to use his time-stop power on Orange at the end, but he cannot. Reveal: Orange is a power-negator! (The players all know, from chargen, that Orange is a double agent, working for the rogue Prometheans... more on them later)
Seth is confronted at college by a girl that he has romanced previously. He brushes her off and is then confronted by her brother who he ritually humiliates in front of a huge crowd and manages to come away smelling of roses. He is a mean and shallow man!
Joshua and Ares discuss the possibility of detaining Professor Thorne somehow, so that Joshua can deliver the speech. They decide to arrange for a liaison with an old flame, using Ares time and mind manipulation powers to help. Thomas uses his shadow meld power to edit himself into the scene and hear everything...
Joshua is the visited by his childhood (and sometimes) girlfriend Jessie, who finds the actresses knickers in his bed and has a very angry break-up with him, screaming her head off and storming through the building. She walks, literally, into Thomas who persuades her to take her story onto Oprah (!) who he just happens to know (Fixer, d12) and she can talk about Joshua's sex addiction and maybe get him help....
Agent Tempest (Seth's mother, the first Promethean, the most powerful still alive and the figurehead of the renegade Prometheans who believe that they should take their place as Gods ruling over men) arrives at the Thorne Penthouse to tell her son to stay away from the Symposium as the Renegades are going to make a statement (there has already been talk of a bombing on the 'net). She tries to persuade him that his place in the world is at her side and he reacts badly. They fight and he nearly beats her, but under the lens' of press helicopters, she smacks him around ... delivering d10 Insecure stress
The next day, Orange summons Ares and Seth and, for reasons that are unknown, tries to get them to argue (exaccerbating their conflicting relationships) over who will be the on-stage back-up to Thorne at the United Nations. Seth grabs the spot and Ares is more than happy to give it to him. Orange is vexed that he cannot get his sport.
Thomas gets on with the actual security work and uses his contacts to narrow down the possibilities to (a) a Promethean who can explode themselves and (b) this might be a smokescreen for something else.
Joshua reinforces Seth's belief in himself in a touching scene of stress relief...
Joshua is then confronted, by video phone, by Paige Hopkins (vitriolic rightwing FOX News style reporter who has been pursuing a line of 'Why are the Thornes now doing MORE to secure America's dominance in Promethean affairs?' for 18 months). She asks him about his work, his impending appearance as a sex addict on Oprah and demands he has an interview with her prior to the Symposium. He uses his Wealthy to create a d6 Useful Detail that he is a shareowner of her company and sees her off with a full on flirtation. (Inflicting d12 Angry!)
At the United Nations
Seth arrives at the UN building to find that hordes of his fans have appeared, bolstered by the blanket news coverage of him fighting the world's #1 terrorist in the middle of New York. Much screaming and fainting.
Thomas takes up his position in the security suite, observing everyone as they move, using the AVRIL computer (from Thorne Towers) to aid in the detection, watching for the exploding female Promethean.
Ares uses his mind control powers on Professor Thorne to take him away to see his old flame (achieved using Mastermind). This works and Joshua has to make the speech in lieu of his missing father. Thomas informs Joshua that his 'plan' is in effect, revealing that he knew about it all along.
Joshua is confronted, from the press pack in the UN lobby, by the FOX reporter who demands her interview, outing him in public as a sex addict. Seth tries to intervene, helping him escape, but they fail and Joshua is grilled, on camera, in the most intense manner. As a complication, however, he later uses his influence with the news organisation to have the reporter sacked.
Meanwhile, everyone is watching the hawkish Israeli delegation (well known for their pro-secondary stance) including the defence minister (who is looking very nervous) and Masada, the Israeli national hero. Israeli minister is seen speaking to Mr Olivier - a fixer and negotiator who works for the NuMen, a group of affiliated interests seeking a private Promethean solution (they have been actively pursing Ares prior to the game)
Seth moves to greet Masada and tests his super strength against the Israeli's forcefield. He wins and the field is fractured slightly. Masada is d12 Afraid - realising that if he is challenged further he will show vulnerability and that would send the rogue Promethean states descending on Israel on their droves. So, a small international incident!
Joshua delivers his speech and announces that Professor Thorne has decided that he is going to retire and cede all control of the Institute to Joshua. (This is, of course, the first time Professor Thorne would have heard of this!) He then announces that the Institute will be ceasing it's studies into the secondary Promethean genetic trigger but that 'together we can make a better tomorrow', sending the room into utter turmoil.
At this point, the bomber is spotted making her way into the room, dressed as a caterer. Seth uses his flight power (he is the only person on the planet who can fly. He's awesome...) to remove the bomber and fly with her into the sky. She then shapeshifts into another, different Promethean form.
Inside, another blonde haired bomber appears, running into the chamber. Thorne teleports to intercept her. Thomas shifts through the shadows to reach her. Ares slows time to reach her first. On the other side of the room, Agent Orange stands and makes a finger-shooting motion, negating Ares power around him, but not around the rest of the room. Ares rushes into the arms of the bomber who explodes, disintergrating him. The explosion is contained by the time stop aura. Ares is gone but the bomber is stopped.
Outside, Seth holds the shapeshifter and interogates him, getting the location of the Renegade camp (South Africa) and then drops him from a great height. Like I said, he is not a nice boy!
Tag Scenes
The press wrap up the situation, showing Seth fighting terrorists for the second time in two days and cementing himself as a national hero. The financials are awash with speculation on the future of Thorne Industries with the shift of power. Inside Thorne, however, there is something more worrying - Thorne has disappeared, never returning from his engineered disappearance. He is MIA. Project Ares ('an unnamed Institute security guard') is feted as the man who saved the United Nations. Thomas, as always, was in the shadows...
Joshua watches his outing on Oprah as a sex addict with quiet interest as he lounges on his bed in his penthouse. The screen flickers and the latest Billboard Top 100 teen starlet of the moment appears, wanting to take him up on his offer of a good time. He accepts and teleports away.
Thomas is drinking at a country and western bar. He is speaking to a man in the shadows, lit only by a smoking cigarette. He tells him that the plan is going well, and the right Thorne is in place now.
Seth is in a high class bar being wined and dined by everyone after his latest heroics. He receives a call from 'The Man from the Government' (the same man that Thomas was talking to above) saying that the Israelis have reported Masada to be out of action (Ares disabled him, using his time stop power and super glue in the lungs!) and they have asked, in light of the special relationship between the two countries, that Seth could be deployed in Israel as a deterrent.
Ares has two tag scenes
In a dark hotel room, Tempest and a number of other renegades sit and take in what they have seen. Project Ares (remember, he's dead folks...) walks in and addresses them. 'Congratulations, your war has started'
In Laboratory X, a computer notes that Clone 56 has been terminated. Clone 57 activates and a new Project Ares spills out of a green liquid filled gestation tube!
---
System wise, we talked afterwards and we realised that
- The players need to 'get on each others tits more' in order to really power some of the conflicts.
- Whilst 'giving in' creates some interesting losing situations, it doesn't help with getting a Growth pool or Stress.
- The game needs the NPCs to be statted well to make them effective.
- We were not using enough plot points to power extra rolls AND extra dice, which again might have made for weaker dice rolls (some were stellar)
From a GM perspective, the game really sang in some cases and could have been done better in others. Thomas, in particular, needs some attention from me to really help him sing. Joshua's addiction to the spotlight and Seth's 'mean girls' act really helped drive some drama. I'm also going to have to watch myself because I stand a horrible chance of getting pet NPC syndrome on Agent Orange. The cool, worldly wise and cynical womaniser and drinker is just too much fun.
In the end though, the real pay off for me is that I have always wanted to run a superhero game again (I ran loads of them when I was a kid) but I have never really been able to get a system which favoured the drama rather than the battle. In this game the drama of the sex addict was as hot as the battle between the superbeings. It was more Heroes than Justice League and that was exactly what I wanted.
Next time.... fallout and escalation!
Thomas Jackson (Nigel) uses his stealthy shadow powers to ghost into a locked vault to retrieve a computer file.
Project Ares (Dave) is a witness to a robbery at a liquor store and uses his time stop powers to interfere wurg the crime, pay for his beer and exit the scene.
Seth Adams (Andrew) is partying on top of Thorne Towers (one of the main sets for the game) with the students from his University, cavorting with both the male and female guests in the hot tub.
Joshua Thorne (Ian) wakes up next to a naked actress in his penthouse suite in Thorne Towers, realises he is late for a press conference on the TV and teleports to said scene. He is never late.
Introduction
In a world where superpowered beings are the equivalent of nuclear weapons, tensions are running high. The Prometheans have existed since the 60s until the peace treaties of the late 80s and the age of Promethean decommissioning. Prometheans have their inbuild genetic trigger activated and are depowered. Slowly, they retreat from the world ... until a child is born with Promethean powers. The appearance of Seth Adams and the other second generation Prometheans sends the world into a desperate power struggle. Some states reactivate their Prometheans, some throw theirs into prison camps and others scramble to reestablish their programs. The Americans hand over their program, officially, to the Promethean Institute and Professor Thorne (the superpowered version of Oppenheimer). Officially. Honest...
The game begins as Professor Thorne is expected to speak at a UN Symposium on his progression in the field of Promethean Proliferation and the creation of a genetic trigger for secondary Prometheans
Scenes
Joshua Thorne confronts Professor Thorne about the content of the speech and browbeats him into giving him a copy so that he can read it through himself. (Prof. Thorne given d10 insecure stress)
Thomas Jackson meets with 'Agent Orange', his partner as Prometheus Institute security and plans the security for the UN address, at the Black Bean Coffee Shop (a set in the game) and then the same Agent moves on to confront Ares, who is also at the Coffee Shop. They have a very spikey conversation, as there is no love lost between Orange and Ares. Ares tries to use his time-stop power on Orange at the end, but he cannot. Reveal: Orange is a power-negator! (The players all know, from chargen, that Orange is a double agent, working for the rogue Prometheans... more on them later)
Seth is confronted at college by a girl that he has romanced previously. He brushes her off and is then confronted by her brother who he ritually humiliates in front of a huge crowd and manages to come away smelling of roses. He is a mean and shallow man!
Joshua and Ares discuss the possibility of detaining Professor Thorne somehow, so that Joshua can deliver the speech. They decide to arrange for a liaison with an old flame, using Ares time and mind manipulation powers to help. Thomas uses his shadow meld power to edit himself into the scene and hear everything...
Joshua is the visited by his childhood (and sometimes) girlfriend Jessie, who finds the actresses knickers in his bed and has a very angry break-up with him, screaming her head off and storming through the building. She walks, literally, into Thomas who persuades her to take her story onto Oprah (!) who he just happens to know (Fixer, d12) and she can talk about Joshua's sex addiction and maybe get him help....
Agent Tempest (Seth's mother, the first Promethean, the most powerful still alive and the figurehead of the renegade Prometheans who believe that they should take their place as Gods ruling over men) arrives at the Thorne Penthouse to tell her son to stay away from the Symposium as the Renegades are going to make a statement (there has already been talk of a bombing on the 'net). She tries to persuade him that his place in the world is at her side and he reacts badly. They fight and he nearly beats her, but under the lens' of press helicopters, she smacks him around ... delivering d10 Insecure stress
The next day, Orange summons Ares and Seth and, for reasons that are unknown, tries to get them to argue (exaccerbating their conflicting relationships) over who will be the on-stage back-up to Thorne at the United Nations. Seth grabs the spot and Ares is more than happy to give it to him. Orange is vexed that he cannot get his sport.
Thomas gets on with the actual security work and uses his contacts to narrow down the possibilities to (a) a Promethean who can explode themselves and (b) this might be a smokescreen for something else.
Joshua reinforces Seth's belief in himself in a touching scene of stress relief...
Joshua is then confronted, by video phone, by Paige Hopkins (vitriolic rightwing FOX News style reporter who has been pursuing a line of 'Why are the Thornes now doing MORE to secure America's dominance in Promethean affairs?' for 18 months). She asks him about his work, his impending appearance as a sex addict on Oprah and demands he has an interview with her prior to the Symposium. He uses his Wealthy to create a d6 Useful Detail that he is a shareowner of her company and sees her off with a full on flirtation. (Inflicting d12 Angry!)
At the United Nations
Seth arrives at the UN building to find that hordes of his fans have appeared, bolstered by the blanket news coverage of him fighting the world's #1 terrorist in the middle of New York. Much screaming and fainting.
Thomas takes up his position in the security suite, observing everyone as they move, using the AVRIL computer (from Thorne Towers) to aid in the detection, watching for the exploding female Promethean.
Ares uses his mind control powers on Professor Thorne to take him away to see his old flame (achieved using Mastermind). This works and Joshua has to make the speech in lieu of his missing father. Thomas informs Joshua that his 'plan' is in effect, revealing that he knew about it all along.
Joshua is confronted, from the press pack in the UN lobby, by the FOX reporter who demands her interview, outing him in public as a sex addict. Seth tries to intervene, helping him escape, but they fail and Joshua is grilled, on camera, in the most intense manner. As a complication, however, he later uses his influence with the news organisation to have the reporter sacked.
Meanwhile, everyone is watching the hawkish Israeli delegation (well known for their pro-secondary stance) including the defence minister (who is looking very nervous) and Masada, the Israeli national hero. Israeli minister is seen speaking to Mr Olivier - a fixer and negotiator who works for the NuMen, a group of affiliated interests seeking a private Promethean solution (they have been actively pursing Ares prior to the game)
Seth moves to greet Masada and tests his super strength against the Israeli's forcefield. He wins and the field is fractured slightly. Masada is d12 Afraid - realising that if he is challenged further he will show vulnerability and that would send the rogue Promethean states descending on Israel on their droves. So, a small international incident!
Joshua delivers his speech and announces that Professor Thorne has decided that he is going to retire and cede all control of the Institute to Joshua. (This is, of course, the first time Professor Thorne would have heard of this!) He then announces that the Institute will be ceasing it's studies into the secondary Promethean genetic trigger but that 'together we can make a better tomorrow', sending the room into utter turmoil.
At this point, the bomber is spotted making her way into the room, dressed as a caterer. Seth uses his flight power (he is the only person on the planet who can fly. He's awesome...) to remove the bomber and fly with her into the sky. She then shapeshifts into another, different Promethean form.
Inside, another blonde haired bomber appears, running into the chamber. Thorne teleports to intercept her. Thomas shifts through the shadows to reach her. Ares slows time to reach her first. On the other side of the room, Agent Orange stands and makes a finger-shooting motion, negating Ares power around him, but not around the rest of the room. Ares rushes into the arms of the bomber who explodes, disintergrating him. The explosion is contained by the time stop aura. Ares is gone but the bomber is stopped.
Outside, Seth holds the shapeshifter and interogates him, getting the location of the Renegade camp (South Africa) and then drops him from a great height. Like I said, he is not a nice boy!
Tag Scenes
The press wrap up the situation, showing Seth fighting terrorists for the second time in two days and cementing himself as a national hero. The financials are awash with speculation on the future of Thorne Industries with the shift of power. Inside Thorne, however, there is something more worrying - Thorne has disappeared, never returning from his engineered disappearance. He is MIA. Project Ares ('an unnamed Institute security guard') is feted as the man who saved the United Nations. Thomas, as always, was in the shadows...
Joshua watches his outing on Oprah as a sex addict with quiet interest as he lounges on his bed in his penthouse. The screen flickers and the latest Billboard Top 100 teen starlet of the moment appears, wanting to take him up on his offer of a good time. He accepts and teleports away.
Thomas is drinking at a country and western bar. He is speaking to a man in the shadows, lit only by a smoking cigarette. He tells him that the plan is going well, and the right Thorne is in place now.
Seth is in a high class bar being wined and dined by everyone after his latest heroics. He receives a call from 'The Man from the Government' (the same man that Thomas was talking to above) saying that the Israelis have reported Masada to be out of action (Ares disabled him, using his time stop power and super glue in the lungs!) and they have asked, in light of the special relationship between the two countries, that Seth could be deployed in Israel as a deterrent.
Ares has two tag scenes
In a dark hotel room, Tempest and a number of other renegades sit and take in what they have seen. Project Ares (remember, he's dead folks...) walks in and addresses them. 'Congratulations, your war has started'
In Laboratory X, a computer notes that Clone 56 has been terminated. Clone 57 activates and a new Project Ares spills out of a green liquid filled gestation tube!
---
System wise, we talked afterwards and we realised that
- The players need to 'get on each others tits more' in order to really power some of the conflicts.
- Whilst 'giving in' creates some interesting losing situations, it doesn't help with getting a Growth pool or Stress.
- The game needs the NPCs to be statted well to make them effective.
- We were not using enough plot points to power extra rolls AND extra dice, which again might have made for weaker dice rolls (some were stellar)
From a GM perspective, the game really sang in some cases and could have been done better in others. Thomas, in particular, needs some attention from me to really help him sing. Joshua's addiction to the spotlight and Seth's 'mean girls' act really helped drive some drama. I'm also going to have to watch myself because I stand a horrible chance of getting pet NPC syndrome on Agent Orange. The cool, worldly wise and cynical womaniser and drinker is just too much fun.
In the end though, the real pay off for me is that I have always wanted to run a superhero game again (I ran loads of them when I was a kid) but I have never really been able to get a system which favoured the drama rather than the battle. In this game the drama of the sex addict was as hot as the battle between the superbeings. It was more Heroes than Justice League and that was exactly what I wanted.
Next time.... fallout and escalation!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
2011 Top Three Gaming Moments
Its been a funny old year - when I have looked back at what we have done, we don't seem to have done lots of gaming but in reality it appears that we have done more than we usually do. Maybe its because I have been virtually convention-free this year? Maybe its because we have had a smaller group? I have no idea. Still, there have still been some excellent gaming highlights.
There has been one gaming, but not at the table, highlight - next year I have been asked to be a Guest of Honour at Continuum, which is one of the 'name' conventions on the calendar, especially amongst 'trad' circles. Clearly, I'm going to have to pull my socks up to make their generosity worth their while.
Honourable Mention: Playing @ Furnace
Gaming at Furnace was a delight this year, as I got to play one of my favourite games (Mouse Guard) and one of the systems I was yearning to play rather than GM (FATE). Great GMs and great games with great players. It was just an excellent convention.
Honourable Mention: The Gamma World finale
Gamma World was a funny old game. From the initial character generation to the rollout of the campaign ideas, randomness ruled, and it was a little difficult to balance and plan things. Kudos to Nigel for riding this rollercoaster so well. The final session, however, managed to do something I thought was impossible and that was to provide a funny, poignant and poetic ending to the campaign. For the three comedy heroes to be so close to global snack food domination and then have it snatched away from them, to end up back at square one and for it to feel like victory? Wonderful!
Future Mention: Dave's D&D Game
Two sessions of a campaign does not do something this epic justice, so I'm going to note this as a 'one to watch' for 2012.
#3: D&H 40k
As seems to be a growing tradition, one game which didn't necessarily 'work' enters into the top three. At Furnace, I ran two games of Duty & Honour based in the Warhammer 40k universe. The games were fine and I had a lot of fun running them in a very Gaunts Ghosts manner. However, the main victory was making the conversion of D&H, getting it printed up and it working just as I intended. The future, both literally and in game development sense, was here.
#2: Chronica Feudalis
CottageCon was a big of a wipeout for me this year. I was very unwell indeed and had to leave half way through. The upshot was that I only got to play in one of the games - a game of Chronica Feudalis based around 'The Tudors'. It was excellently conceived, perfect for the occassion and marked with some brutal PvP political action. The playaids were exemplary and really helped with the immersion in the setting. A great one-shot session. Excellent.
#1: The Temporal Detective Agency
My daughters have always been 'gaming curious' and have dabbled in the past, so they bullied me into running something for them. We have had three sessions (incl chargen) of the Temporal Detective Agency thus far and it has been revelatory. The girls possess a passion about the subject matter and a real ... purity (?) in the way that they approach the games. It has been the most refreshing gaming I have done in years. Real thrills, real excitement, real fear at one point! The only downside is that it takes me a while to think up a good enough story to put before them so my output is not matching their demand. Mouse Guard next for them, by the way!
There has been one gaming, but not at the table, highlight - next year I have been asked to be a Guest of Honour at Continuum, which is one of the 'name' conventions on the calendar, especially amongst 'trad' circles. Clearly, I'm going to have to pull my socks up to make their generosity worth their while.
Honourable Mention: Playing @ Furnace
Gaming at Furnace was a delight this year, as I got to play one of my favourite games (Mouse Guard) and one of the systems I was yearning to play rather than GM (FATE). Great GMs and great games with great players. It was just an excellent convention.
Honourable Mention: The Gamma World finale
Gamma World was a funny old game. From the initial character generation to the rollout of the campaign ideas, randomness ruled, and it was a little difficult to balance and plan things. Kudos to Nigel for riding this rollercoaster so well. The final session, however, managed to do something I thought was impossible and that was to provide a funny, poignant and poetic ending to the campaign. For the three comedy heroes to be so close to global snack food domination and then have it snatched away from them, to end up back at square one and for it to feel like victory? Wonderful!
Future Mention: Dave's D&D Game
Two sessions of a campaign does not do something this epic justice, so I'm going to note this as a 'one to watch' for 2012.
#3: D&H 40k
As seems to be a growing tradition, one game which didn't necessarily 'work' enters into the top three. At Furnace, I ran two games of Duty & Honour based in the Warhammer 40k universe. The games were fine and I had a lot of fun running them in a very Gaunts Ghosts manner. However, the main victory was making the conversion of D&H, getting it printed up and it working just as I intended. The future, both literally and in game development sense, was here.
#2: Chronica Feudalis
CottageCon was a big of a wipeout for me this year. I was very unwell indeed and had to leave half way through. The upshot was that I only got to play in one of the games - a game of Chronica Feudalis based around 'The Tudors'. It was excellently conceived, perfect for the occassion and marked with some brutal PvP political action. The playaids were exemplary and really helped with the immersion in the setting. A great one-shot session. Excellent.
#1: The Temporal Detective Agency
My daughters have always been 'gaming curious' and have dabbled in the past, so they bullied me into running something for them. We have had three sessions (incl chargen) of the Temporal Detective Agency thus far and it has been revelatory. The girls possess a passion about the subject matter and a real ... purity (?) in the way that they approach the games. It has been the most refreshing gaming I have done in years. Real thrills, real excitement, real fear at one point! The only downside is that it takes me a while to think up a good enough story to put before them so my output is not matching their demand. Mouse Guard next for them, by the way!
Monday, December 26, 2011
2011 Resolutions in Review
The Bottom of the Glass tradition returns, as the end-of-year triumvirate of posts look back, and forward, on the gaming year.
#1: Game More (SUCCESS)
An absolute success. My main gaming group have played through the end of our D&D campaign this year, and then Gamma World, the Dresden Files RPG and a little Burning Wheel too. Dave has successfully started a second gaming night, with some new blood, playing D&D which has been very tasty so far. And, as if that isn't enough, I have been playing with the girls - mainly the Dr Who RPG. From precious little to a smorgasbord of gaming. Superb.
#2 Fold or Twist with Omnihedron (QUALIFIED SUCCESS) and #3 D&H V2.0 (FAILURE)
This is a difficult one. Lots of things changed this year in my work life and that meant that I had to make some very difficult decisions with respect to Omnihedron. It became a matter of priorities and resource management - the main resources being time, energy and concentration! The upshot has been the mothballing of Omnihedron for the time being. Its not dead - just resting, and I have some things planned for next year when I get my head into gear. The decision - well, I like to think of it as a decision because that implies I had an active part in it - was a hard one, but in the end it was a right one. The upshot was that I had to cancel all my rumoured and planned projects which included the revised edition of D&H. That was poor form on my part and it is definitely something that will never happen again.
#4: Run Another Game (SUCCESS)
An easy one, this. I've been running a Dresden Files game which has been OK. I have some serious and growing issues with the system and the way that it handles wizards, but the story has been fine and the attitude I have tried to adopt - more an ongoing game rather than a fixed campaign of unrelenting awesome, has been interesting. I'm not sure it 'worked' but it was nice to try it. The games with the girls have been highly entertaining and some of that entertainment has had me wondering about the effects of cultural metagaming on other game play. More on that later though..
#5: Time Management (SUCCESS)
... but a Pyrrhic success if ever there was one. I have gone through a period of extreme 'faff-pruning'. A huge number of Facebook time-sink games have gone the way, as has any real attempt to do any hardcore MMO gaming, retreating back to just F2P DCUO. Work has become a far more regimented system, with marking and planning done with military precision - especially hard as my new position results in some very random callings upon my time. This has kept me open when it comes to gaming and allowed me to maintain things. However, a lot of this extra time has been surrendered to just vegetating in a knackered stupor. I don't think this is a gaming thing - I think it has more to do with health. However, I have managed to make room for gaming, so its a win!
#Unofficial 6: Continue Avoiding Toxicity
This isn't even a question nowadays. I just walk away. Self-editing and knowing when to turn the computer off are amazing skills.
So, three and a half out of five this year - mostly due to external factors. Not too bad really. The year has been far better in terms of gaming than this post seems. Which naturally leads to the next post - Best Games!
#1: Game More (SUCCESS)
An absolute success. My main gaming group have played through the end of our D&D campaign this year, and then Gamma World, the Dresden Files RPG and a little Burning Wheel too. Dave has successfully started a second gaming night, with some new blood, playing D&D which has been very tasty so far. And, as if that isn't enough, I have been playing with the girls - mainly the Dr Who RPG. From precious little to a smorgasbord of gaming. Superb.
#2 Fold or Twist with Omnihedron (QUALIFIED SUCCESS) and #3 D&H V2.0 (FAILURE)
This is a difficult one. Lots of things changed this year in my work life and that meant that I had to make some very difficult decisions with respect to Omnihedron. It became a matter of priorities and resource management - the main resources being time, energy and concentration! The upshot has been the mothballing of Omnihedron for the time being. Its not dead - just resting, and I have some things planned for next year when I get my head into gear. The decision - well, I like to think of it as a decision because that implies I had an active part in it - was a hard one, but in the end it was a right one. The upshot was that I had to cancel all my rumoured and planned projects which included the revised edition of D&H. That was poor form on my part and it is definitely something that will never happen again.
#4: Run Another Game (SUCCESS)
An easy one, this. I've been running a Dresden Files game which has been OK. I have some serious and growing issues with the system and the way that it handles wizards, but the story has been fine and the attitude I have tried to adopt - more an ongoing game rather than a fixed campaign of unrelenting awesome, has been interesting. I'm not sure it 'worked' but it was nice to try it. The games with the girls have been highly entertaining and some of that entertainment has had me wondering about the effects of cultural metagaming on other game play. More on that later though..
#5: Time Management (SUCCESS)
... but a Pyrrhic success if ever there was one. I have gone through a period of extreme 'faff-pruning'. A huge number of Facebook time-sink games have gone the way, as has any real attempt to do any hardcore MMO gaming, retreating back to just F2P DCUO. Work has become a far more regimented system, with marking and planning done with military precision - especially hard as my new position results in some very random callings upon my time. This has kept me open when it comes to gaming and allowed me to maintain things. However, a lot of this extra time has been surrendered to just vegetating in a knackered stupor. I don't think this is a gaming thing - I think it has more to do with health. However, I have managed to make room for gaming, so its a win!
#Unofficial 6: Continue Avoiding Toxicity
This isn't even a question nowadays. I just walk away. Self-editing and knowing when to turn the computer off are amazing skills.
So, three and a half out of five this year - mostly due to external factors. Not too bad really. The year has been far better in terms of gaming than this post seems. Which naturally leads to the next post - Best Games!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Still Alive and Kicking More Than Ever!
It feels like ages since I have had time to put finger to keyboard. Life has, as per usual, been throwing me a full-on barrage of curve balls. Loathe as I am to blog about work life, I have been through the wringer over the summer and come out of the other side with a job, a promotion and a little stability. Woot!
On the gaming front, I have moved from a vertitable famine to a feast. The transition between games is always a tense time for a group like ours but we seem to have moved on from Gamma World quite well, going back to explore the Dresden Files setting again. We have rejigged the cast of characters and I have taken a more relaxed slowburn attitude to the game and it appears to be working. Still has a lot of player input (as always) but it is definitely a game which is tootling along rather than being played at breakneck speed.
But thats not all! A reconstituted Group 2, with two new players, will embark on another game of Dungeons and Dragons 4e, this time ran by Dave. This is a game which has its roots in stories like A Game of Thrones and it looks like it will be a totally different game from our previous efforts. My character is a shapechanging Whirling Barbarian Half-Orc. Its very different! Actually, whilst the game is now pleasantly familiar, the character generation was quite daunting. Our old game was like the proverbial frog in hot water, slowly getting hotter and hotter, not realising. This time, with a cornucopia of options available, its more like being plunged into the boiling pan! Almost input overload. Thats why I chose the Barbarian in the end - just a few books and options to consider. My other possible choice, Ranger, would have caused my nerves to frazzle!
And it still doesn't end! On Sunday I had the first session with my new gaming group ... me and the kids! We're goinmg to be playing Dr Who on Sunday mornings for the forseeable. The girls have created two really nice, well-rounded 'normal' characters who will get into all sorts of hijinks in time and space. They were, even if I say so myself, fantastic - really bringing imagination and control to the table. I was impressed. I'm planning on relatively short sessions - two hours max - in the first instance. Of course, the upshot is that Mrs Gow gets a couple of totally child free hours. Feel the brownie points rack up.
Of course amidst all of this, something had to give and remarkably, I've put all of my Omnihedron Games activities on hiatus at the moment, and for the indefinite future. I'll almost certainly write more about that in the future, but it feels like a weight off my shoulders.
On the gaming front, I have moved from a vertitable famine to a feast. The transition between games is always a tense time for a group like ours but we seem to have moved on from Gamma World quite well, going back to explore the Dresden Files setting again. We have rejigged the cast of characters and I have taken a more relaxed slowburn attitude to the game and it appears to be working. Still has a lot of player input (as always) but it is definitely a game which is tootling along rather than being played at breakneck speed.
But thats not all! A reconstituted Group 2, with two new players, will embark on another game of Dungeons and Dragons 4e, this time ran by Dave. This is a game which has its roots in stories like A Game of Thrones and it looks like it will be a totally different game from our previous efforts. My character is a shapechanging Whirling Barbarian Half-Orc. Its very different! Actually, whilst the game is now pleasantly familiar, the character generation was quite daunting. Our old game was like the proverbial frog in hot water, slowly getting hotter and hotter, not realising. This time, with a cornucopia of options available, its more like being plunged into the boiling pan! Almost input overload. Thats why I chose the Barbarian in the end - just a few books and options to consider. My other possible choice, Ranger, would have caused my nerves to frazzle!
And it still doesn't end! On Sunday I had the first session with my new gaming group ... me and the kids! We're goinmg to be playing Dr Who on Sunday mornings for the forseeable. The girls have created two really nice, well-rounded 'normal' characters who will get into all sorts of hijinks in time and space. They were, even if I say so myself, fantastic - really bringing imagination and control to the table. I was impressed. I'm planning on relatively short sessions - two hours max - in the first instance. Of course, the upshot is that Mrs Gow gets a couple of totally child free hours. Feel the brownie points rack up.
Of course amidst all of this, something had to give and remarkably, I've put all of my Omnihedron Games activities on hiatus at the moment, and for the indefinite future. I'll almost certainly write more about that in the future, but it feels like a weight off my shoulders.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Sexual Networking
...or why you should not friend your students on facebook.
I have a rule: no current students as friends on facebook. Yesterday I realised one of the more practical reasons why that should remain so. That reason was a game called The Sims Social.
This is a Facebook game based on the ridiculously popular game, The Sims. Personally, I hate the standard Sims game with a passion because all I have seen when playing it is confirmation that life sucks. You have to sleep, eat, wash, tidy, play, work and socialise ... but you can only do four or five of them. Which one are you going to sacrifice? Yeah, it sucks. Sims Social removes some of that (at the moment) and rotates around the standard FB game tropes of skills, quests and home building. However, it has another nuance and thats the hotwiring of relationships into the game.
When you visit your neighbours, one of the parts of the game is changing your relationships with them. You start as acquaintances, and then become friends and then best friends and beyond. To do this you undertake social interactions with their avatar. Some of them are purely social - chit chat, shoot the breeze, gossip, tell a story etc. However, you can also flirt with them - compliment their appearance, give them flowers and offer them a romantic kiss. Do these things enough and you get to 'the next level'. Eventually you can start dating them and consummate your love with whoopee in the shower. Together.
OK, thats fine you think ... after all, your neighbours cannot tell which actions you have been doing. Oh really? Well, to progress to the next level of 'friendliness' you have to ask the permission of your neighbour. Look at your friends list? Who do YOU feel comfortable sending the message 'Hey, I'd like my avatar in a computer game to start dating your avatar in a computer game and possibly get shagged in the shower?'. Add to that, that every person I know in the game has made a character that looks like them (well, mine is Sims-Skinny rather than RL-Fat) and you are doing the hootchie-hootchie purposefully with someone who represents someone in real life. What will be the reaction of your RL SO when they discover that you have an in-game girlfriend ... or boyfriend!
If find that quite strange. Creepy even. And definitely something that you shouldn't be doing with say, your ex-girlfriend, an ex-student or your teenage daughter's best friend....!
I have a rule: no current students as friends on facebook. Yesterday I realised one of the more practical reasons why that should remain so. That reason was a game called The Sims Social.
This is a Facebook game based on the ridiculously popular game, The Sims. Personally, I hate the standard Sims game with a passion because all I have seen when playing it is confirmation that life sucks. You have to sleep, eat, wash, tidy, play, work and socialise ... but you can only do four or five of them. Which one are you going to sacrifice? Yeah, it sucks. Sims Social removes some of that (at the moment) and rotates around the standard FB game tropes of skills, quests and home building. However, it has another nuance and thats the hotwiring of relationships into the game.
When you visit your neighbours, one of the parts of the game is changing your relationships with them. You start as acquaintances, and then become friends and then best friends and beyond. To do this you undertake social interactions with their avatar. Some of them are purely social - chit chat, shoot the breeze, gossip, tell a story etc. However, you can also flirt with them - compliment their appearance, give them flowers and offer them a romantic kiss. Do these things enough and you get to 'the next level'. Eventually you can start dating them and consummate your love with whoopee in the shower. Together.
OK, thats fine you think ... after all, your neighbours cannot tell which actions you have been doing. Oh really? Well, to progress to the next level of 'friendliness' you have to ask the permission of your neighbour. Look at your friends list? Who do YOU feel comfortable sending the message 'Hey, I'd like my avatar in a computer game to start dating your avatar in a computer game and possibly get shagged in the shower?'. Add to that, that every person I know in the game has made a character that looks like them (well, mine is Sims-Skinny rather than RL-Fat) and you are doing the hootchie-hootchie purposefully with someone who represents someone in real life. What will be the reaction of your RL SO when they discover that you have an in-game girlfriend ... or boyfriend!
If find that quite strange. Creepy even. And definitely something that you shouldn't be doing with say, your ex-girlfriend, an ex-student or your teenage daughter's best friend....!
Thursday, August 04, 2011
What is EPOCH?
Its been three years since I launched Duty & Honour and my world changed forever. Its been an amazing adventure so far but I needed some time to relax and sit back and reflect on where things are and where things could be going. I did this during this year's sabbatical from conventions. I finished my teaching qualification, got my job prospects sorted and looked long and hard at the 'Empire' line. A few things struck me. The first was that there were certain commitments that I had made (and half-finished books that I have done) which could be brought to market if I thought a little differently about format and content. Shook things up a bit. The second was that, when all this is done, I'm pretty much bored with Napoleonics at the moment. You can only have so many pointy hats. So I fancied something different.
So I dug out an old idea that just will not die. A game I have written on backs of envelopes for the last few years but never really got my teeth into. Over the last couple of nights, teeth have been well and truly engaged and gnawing has been taking place. So what is it?
Well, I'm not sure, because it can be anything really. I've skinned it as ultra-high fantasy at the moment but I suppose it could do any sort of genre if need be. I haven't even had time to come up with an elevator pitch except that its my take on a pick-up and play game where you can have characters and situation done in about ten minutes and an adventure resolved in maybe an hour? Lots of stuff about hero's journey floating around in my head about it as well.
So why mention this alpha-alpha here? Well, because I'm really excited about it. Its new. Its different. It does not smell of garlic! It could be a new route for Omnihedron Games or it could die a million deaths on the playtesting table of doom tomorrow. Its the thrill of the unknown that makes it so good!
More later...
(Oh and before anyone starts jumping up and down, no this does not mean I am stopping doing Empire at all. *looks at production schedule* Far from it....)
So I dug out an old idea that just will not die. A game I have written on backs of envelopes for the last few years but never really got my teeth into. Over the last couple of nights, teeth have been well and truly engaged and gnawing has been taking place. So what is it?
Well, I'm not sure, because it can be anything really. I've skinned it as ultra-high fantasy at the moment but I suppose it could do any sort of genre if need be. I haven't even had time to come up with an elevator pitch except that its my take on a pick-up and play game where you can have characters and situation done in about ten minutes and an adventure resolved in maybe an hour? Lots of stuff about hero's journey floating around in my head about it as well.
So why mention this alpha-alpha here? Well, because I'm really excited about it. Its new. Its different. It does not smell of garlic! It could be a new route for Omnihedron Games or it could die a million deaths on the playtesting table of doom tomorrow. Its the thrill of the unknown that makes it so good!
More later...
(Oh and before anyone starts jumping up and down, no this does not mean I am stopping doing Empire at all. *looks at production schedule* Far from it....)
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Taking Things WAY TOO SERIOUSLY
Here's an honest to god transcript of a message between me and another guy who plays Wrestler: Unstoppable - a wrestling based facebook game. I'm Joey, he's Acer. Its special....
Acer: actually I won't, because I just fail every move, but the game won't fail a move on you when you pull the same combo three times....that would NEVER happen for me. LUCKY FU C K ING YOU. Unlucky you, you've had all the success against me you're going to have.
Acer: You're busy on the newsfeed, switching stables or companies? Lol
Joey: No, just getting my behind into gear for once. So much to do, so little time
Acer: cool cool...just saw you clogging it up a lot...haha
Acer: yup, might as well just keep the f-ing losing streak alive. god dam it
Acer: maybe next time you could do what would have f-ing happened to me in that case....you fail a pin, I think...oh I can take this, and one of those little bs moves, which apparently never fails for anyone else, fails for me and I still lose the match.. I'm sure glad I can f-ing give matches away...f-this
Acer: Oh look, another win for you, and another loss for me off a failed pin...sure be nice if the game ever let me have that f-ing luxury. Thanks for that birthday present, ass wipe.
Acer: of course....because I get NOTHING EVEER>>>>>>>.all I f-ing do is give and lose....fail and lose....
(Acer wins a match)
Acer: well, there's a mercy
(Acer loses again)
Acer: well that was a waste of my time, maybe it's time to unfan you and get something out of it. f this bs. go play with yourself, might as well be. more fun for me anyway..f you.
Joey: Whatever. Its not my fault the RNG falls in my favour sometimes. Best of luck though - you have been nothing if not entertaining.
Acer: go fail double axe handles, reverse chinlocks, footstomps....arm bars, bodyslams....funny how you get more moves in one f-ing turn than I get in an entire match....seems pretty much fair. I call bs when I f-ing see it, and if you don't then you're f-ing blind. when the game isn't fun for me, i try hard to make it less fun for you. Go f yourself.
(Acer loses a match with his being a fan of me ‘on the line’ although I had no idea if I had to win or lose for the honour…)
Acer: too bad...you never fail to f-ing ruin my life.
Joey: You really take this seriously don't you?Just relax mate - its just a game. A very random game at that. Nothing to get all stressed about at all.
Acer: failed piledriver with 100 momentum = me un-fanning you. I can't help it if the game doesn't want me to succeed moves. You obviously cared a lot about me staying your fan. If I can't succeed moves, then I do what I can do.
Acer: too bad for you. Since I get nothing but disappointment and you get nothing but success, it's time for you to have some retribution for my victimization.
Joey: So you wanted me to throw the match, so that you would stay as my 'fan'? Wow.... thats another level.
Acer: well, I figured that at SOME point maybe I wouldn't fail every f-ing move for no god dam reason, but I guess that's never going to f-ing happen. I didn't want you to throw the match, but since I'm about five succeeded moves from anything good happening to me, something bad should happen to you...like me taking you into the alley and f-ing up your face with a garbage can lid, since all you are is garbage and these matches have been garbage.
Acer: you NEVER f-ing inexplicably fail a move, how f-ing nice. you get everything and I get nothing, so time for you to get nothing.
Joey: Would it help if I told you I lost five title belts and three title matches last week in the biggest run of fail ever? You focus on the bad mate, not the good. You've beaten me loads in the past - months ago you were unstoppable (no pun intended). Its a run of bad form, thats all. But there's no need to be f-ing and blinding about me on the feed, thats just rude.
Acer: well, that's true...I'll take down the feed stuff...but we're done for a long freaking time.
Joey: No worries - when you want to dance again you know where I am. Best of luck
Acer: Thanks...I'd have better sentiments for you if even ONE of these nothing matches had gone my way. I won't dump you as a friend, but don't expect me to send a support your way any time soon, and I have little sympathy for your lost titles. Actions have consequences, even ones that you have little control over. Since you ruined my day last night and today on this game, you deserve a little f-ing suffering.
(Acer decides to fight me again, and after a couple of losses, I win a match after a pretty good comeback)
Acer: yup, amazing how events turn around....like how I say I won't de-fan you and then that happens. Congrats on your good fortune. It ought to have some consequence. I shouldn't be surprised, why would I think that the game would ever f-ing do anything my way ever.
(He finally de-fans me….)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The BIG Idea
As some of you might know, I have been a little vocal in the past about Kickstarter and the effect it is having on the independent games community. However, sometimes something comes along and really opens your eyes, and 'Far West' has been that thing for me.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/Adamant/far-west-western-wuxia-mashup-adventure-game
My eye-opener is not something related to the game itself, although it does look super-cool and something I think would work really well. No, its the plans that flow around the game - the comics, the web series, the fan-influenced creative direction, the art, the 'Far West Society' etc. I think this is fantastic.
We live in a media bombarded age, a highly tribalised age, an age of recycling and regurgitation. To have something like this, which actually makes me sit up and listen and think 'Wow, that's very cool and probably something I could buy into' is very rare indeed. To have something that seems to have taken that media saturation and tribalisation and turned it into something wholly positive? That's fantastic.
However, that's not the only thing that this has done to me. It has really made me look at my creative works and question where I go next. My Duty & Honour project is coming to a close. I have a few more things I have committed to seeing off (a revised edition, a french book and a zulu book - the latter two coming in a short format in all probability, and a stripped down hack-friendly free pdf as well). I'm currently enjoying messing around with my unofficial WH40k hack as well. However, it's very much treading the same ground I have been treading for the last five years and nothing 'new' is coming from it.
What struck me from 'Far West' was the commitment to the bigger idea, the long term commitment. I look at this and it reminds me of Legend of the Five Rings - both in subject matter (naturally) but more importantly in organisation. It has the feeling of something bigger than just a game.
God, I wish I could do something like that?! I wish I could have the clarity of vision and commitment to do that. Put together a team of like-minded friends and carve out something new and brilliant and run with it for a good long time, getting momentum behind it. You know how someone said that everyone has a novel in them? Well, I'd like to think that my Big Idea would be something like this.
I just have no idea how to realise it out from under the morass of mundane bollocks that life is at the moment.
Best of luck to the folks at Adamant with Far West. Its inspirational in more than one way.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/Adamant/far-west-western-wuxia-mashup-adventure-game
My eye-opener is not something related to the game itself, although it does look super-cool and something I think would work really well. No, its the plans that flow around the game - the comics, the web series, the fan-influenced creative direction, the art, the 'Far West Society' etc. I think this is fantastic.
We live in a media bombarded age, a highly tribalised age, an age of recycling and regurgitation. To have something like this, which actually makes me sit up and listen and think 'Wow, that's very cool and probably something I could buy into' is very rare indeed. To have something that seems to have taken that media saturation and tribalisation and turned it into something wholly positive? That's fantastic.
However, that's not the only thing that this has done to me. It has really made me look at my creative works and question where I go next. My Duty & Honour project is coming to a close. I have a few more things I have committed to seeing off (a revised edition, a french book and a zulu book - the latter two coming in a short format in all probability, and a stripped down hack-friendly free pdf as well). I'm currently enjoying messing around with my unofficial WH40k hack as well. However, it's very much treading the same ground I have been treading for the last five years and nothing 'new' is coming from it.
What struck me from 'Far West' was the commitment to the bigger idea, the long term commitment. I look at this and it reminds me of Legend of the Five Rings - both in subject matter (naturally) but more importantly in organisation. It has the feeling of something bigger than just a game.
God, I wish I could do something like that?! I wish I could have the clarity of vision and commitment to do that. Put together a team of like-minded friends and carve out something new and brilliant and run with it for a good long time, getting momentum behind it. You know how someone said that everyone has a novel in them? Well, I'd like to think that my Big Idea would be something like this.
I just have no idea how to realise it out from under the morass of mundane bollocks that life is at the moment.
Best of luck to the folks at Adamant with Far West. Its inspirational in more than one way.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
DCUO-GL-DLC-WTF?!
Yeah, I'm down with the kids.
DCUO has finally flipped its lid. For six months now just about everyone has been waiting for the Green Lantern content. I believe there may have been some bruhaha in the news recently about some motion picture that it might have been tied into? For six months, we have been told it is coming. Beta testers have already seen it. Its there and ready to breathe life into the ailing corpse of a game.
And SOE finally release it ... as paid DLC 'later in the summer'.
Really? REALLY?!
This is the game of broken promises. The slowest developed game in history. Monthly content updates became periodic content updates. Megaservers are taking longer to test than the CERN hyper-accelerator thingamebob. Free content as a result of monthly fee has turned into Station Store content and now ... paid for micro expansions.
Its like taking your customer and kicking them in the bollocks again and again and again.
And what makes me even more stunned is that there are dozens of people on a number of fora defending this practice. Sure, its only $10 but its now actually a principle thing. You cannot lie, mislead and backtrack to your customers this many times without some sort of backlash. Its ludicrous. SOE, I can forgive you the hacking nonsense but this? Seriously ... what on Earth, or indeed Oa, were you thinking?
DCUO has finally flipped its lid. For six months now just about everyone has been waiting for the Green Lantern content. I believe there may have been some bruhaha in the news recently about some motion picture that it might have been tied into? For six months, we have been told it is coming. Beta testers have already seen it. Its there and ready to breathe life into the ailing corpse of a game.
And SOE finally release it ... as paid DLC 'later in the summer'.
Really? REALLY?!
This is the game of broken promises. The slowest developed game in history. Monthly content updates became periodic content updates. Megaservers are taking longer to test than the CERN hyper-accelerator thingamebob. Free content as a result of monthly fee has turned into Station Store content and now ... paid for micro expansions.
Its like taking your customer and kicking them in the bollocks again and again and again.
And what makes me even more stunned is that there are dozens of people on a number of fora defending this practice. Sure, its only $10 but its now actually a principle thing. You cannot lie, mislead and backtrack to your customers this many times without some sort of backlash. Its ludicrous. SOE, I can forgive you the hacking nonsense but this? Seriously ... what on Earth, or indeed Oa, were you thinking?
The End of an Era
One of my first memories of being a child was a hot summer afternoon. I was five. I held in my hand a copy of the Marvel UK 'Mighty Avengers' title - the one where Scarlet Witch, Vision and Quicksilver had been transported to a melting world - and I was hooked. I decided there and then to make a change in my life and with the permission of my mam, I walked the thirty yards from my backyard to the corner shop and proudly told Rosa (the owner) that I wanted to change my order from 'The Barnaby Comic' to the Avengers.
And ever since then I have had a slew of comics that I read every month .... until tomorrow. Tomorrow I will receive the last two issues of the 'War of the Lanterns' in Green Lantern and I will close down my order at Forbidden Planet. Thirty years of comics buying has come to an end. Some might say its about time. Others might think its ill-directed pragmatism. Personally, I just have nothing invested in it anymore.
It started, predictably, with Bendis. That the machinations of one man could have me ... ME ... abandon the Avengers is almost too much to imagine, but it happened. However, what I didn't realise at the time, was that my dropping of my beloved Earth's Mightiest Heroes would prove a watershed moment. The world didn't stop. I wasn't left bereft. It was ... inconsequential. As I have looked at the title (because I still flick through it each month, just to keep my eye in...) there has been nothing to draw me back, no reason to slap down my money.
Oh yes, money. Comics are just too damned expensive as well. £2.30 for a five minute (if that...) experience? No thank you. Of course, if there was some way that DC could reduce the cost of comics, that would work right? Maybe a ... digital revolution?
But no. Well, yes, if you want to wait a month, but not if you want them upfront. I have a lot of problems with DC's Flashpoint revolution. I don't see the DCU as it stands as an overly complex place - certainly its simpler than the pre-Crisis DCU by factors of ten - and I don't see the characters as 'tired'. I do see some titles treading water (JLA, JSA, Teen Titans etc) so I can see their point but a wholesale reboot of the franchise? Really? Nuking Detective and Action back to #1? Seriously?! Can you imagine if they did that in say, Eastenders? Oh we have decided that the backstory is too convoluted, so this week we are going to restart the show and move the characters to Wolverhampton. Same names, maybe same people, new relationships. Madness.
Its also a straight up lack of historical perspective. DC have done this before - an explosion of minor titles in the 1970s followed by the infamous 'DC Implosion' a couple of years later. Every event has been followed by the spinning off of a slew of new titles, the vast majority of which never make it through the first year of publication. Its a failed tactic. Is this supposed to a market penetration strategy, selling more of the same to the current comics buyers, or is this digital revolution supposed to represent market development - penetrating new readers with their online offer? I don't see it - this is the 'app' generation, the 'itunes' generation. Apps cost 59p and are useful forever, updated for free. A single costs 79p. A comic costs ... £2.30? Bear in mind that for the price of 2-3 comics, you can get a fully playable PC game from Steam. And these aren't your father's comics. You cannot trade them, share them, buy them second hand. You cannot trace them and learn to draw from them.... but you can read them on an iPad. Whoopee fucking do.
So what Bendis started, the Flashpoint devolution has finished. Thats me done. No more comics. Its a strange and sobering thought and quite a sad one. I may have to go and dig out that issue of the Avengers (which I have in about three different formats now!) and have some nostalgia to calm my nerves.
And ever since then I have had a slew of comics that I read every month .... until tomorrow. Tomorrow I will receive the last two issues of the 'War of the Lanterns' in Green Lantern and I will close down my order at Forbidden Planet. Thirty years of comics buying has come to an end. Some might say its about time. Others might think its ill-directed pragmatism. Personally, I just have nothing invested in it anymore.
It started, predictably, with Bendis. That the machinations of one man could have me ... ME ... abandon the Avengers is almost too much to imagine, but it happened. However, what I didn't realise at the time, was that my dropping of my beloved Earth's Mightiest Heroes would prove a watershed moment. The world didn't stop. I wasn't left bereft. It was ... inconsequential. As I have looked at the title (because I still flick through it each month, just to keep my eye in...) there has been nothing to draw me back, no reason to slap down my money.
Oh yes, money. Comics are just too damned expensive as well. £2.30 for a five minute (if that...) experience? No thank you. Of course, if there was some way that DC could reduce the cost of comics, that would work right? Maybe a ... digital revolution?
But no. Well, yes, if you want to wait a month, but not if you want them upfront. I have a lot of problems with DC's Flashpoint revolution. I don't see the DCU as it stands as an overly complex place - certainly its simpler than the pre-Crisis DCU by factors of ten - and I don't see the characters as 'tired'. I do see some titles treading water (JLA, JSA, Teen Titans etc) so I can see their point but a wholesale reboot of the franchise? Really? Nuking Detective and Action back to #1? Seriously?! Can you imagine if they did that in say, Eastenders? Oh we have decided that the backstory is too convoluted, so this week we are going to restart the show and move the characters to Wolverhampton. Same names, maybe same people, new relationships. Madness.
Its also a straight up lack of historical perspective. DC have done this before - an explosion of minor titles in the 1970s followed by the infamous 'DC Implosion' a couple of years later. Every event has been followed by the spinning off of a slew of new titles, the vast majority of which never make it through the first year of publication. Its a failed tactic. Is this supposed to a market penetration strategy, selling more of the same to the current comics buyers, or is this digital revolution supposed to represent market development - penetrating new readers with their online offer? I don't see it - this is the 'app' generation, the 'itunes' generation. Apps cost 59p and are useful forever, updated for free. A single costs 79p. A comic costs ... £2.30? Bear in mind that for the price of 2-3 comics, you can get a fully playable PC game from Steam. And these aren't your father's comics. You cannot trade them, share them, buy them second hand. You cannot trace them and learn to draw from them.... but you can read them on an iPad. Whoopee fucking do.
So what Bendis started, the Flashpoint devolution has finished. Thats me done. No more comics. Its a strange and sobering thought and quite a sad one. I may have to go and dig out that issue of the Avengers (which I have in about three different formats now!) and have some nostalgia to calm my nerves.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Lost in RIFT!
So, how have I been doing in RIFT? Slowly but surely, I think would be the best way to describe it. I've been very casually bumbling my way through the PVE content and have reached the heady heights of L28! Please don't mistake slow for lack of interest, its just that there are so many more things that you can do.
The levelling isn't shabby either. Each zone I have been in so far has ended with quite a challenging fortress that has to be stormed. As a rogue, with stealth and sprint abilities and my elf 'jump' ability I think I'm pretty set up for this sort of stuff and I've still come a cropper some times. Challenging PVE is nice to play. I get the feeling as I am playing it that nothing is too easy and thats really making me think. And look around - its really pretty in some areas, Gloomwood especially. The designers also like their labyrinths and dying has more consequences than a simple corpse run! Its a mind test as well (especially for someone with a history of getting lost!)
The other thing which forms a major distraction are the rifts themselves. I'll underline again that this content is what makes RIFT different from its direct competition. The world fights back. At the moment there is a large storyline event happening and occassionally, all hell breaks loose.Monsters roaming everywhere, besieging towns and attacking wardstones. And YOU have to stop them. Its like a game built around the idea of world bosses on all different levels. Tonight, the Defiant players managed to release some giant crawling lobster thing in Scarlet Gorge and we, the Guardians, had to jump in and help put it down. These aren't tank-and-spank bosses either. This one was summoning adds and setting up fire to stay out of as well! Nothing a WoW veteran cannot handle...
I've also adopted a new 'Soul' too.- the Saboteur. Very interesting so far as it encompasses a snare and a ranged stacking attack (theres much more to it, but thats the basics). I'm looking forward to trying more of its tricks out in the fiuture.
I'm under no illusions about the longevity of RIFT. I can see little reason to replay the game with an alt as there is no new content to progress through, just the same thing again. I also know that my history of getting raids in is scant so the endgame might well not be visited much. However, the journey to that endgame is intriguing and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
The levelling isn't shabby either. Each zone I have been in so far has ended with quite a challenging fortress that has to be stormed. As a rogue, with stealth and sprint abilities and my elf 'jump' ability I think I'm pretty set up for this sort of stuff and I've still come a cropper some times. Challenging PVE is nice to play. I get the feeling as I am playing it that nothing is too easy and thats really making me think. And look around - its really pretty in some areas, Gloomwood especially. The designers also like their labyrinths and dying has more consequences than a simple corpse run! Its a mind test as well (especially for someone with a history of getting lost!)
The other thing which forms a major distraction are the rifts themselves. I'll underline again that this content is what makes RIFT different from its direct competition. The world fights back. At the moment there is a large storyline event happening and occassionally, all hell breaks loose.Monsters roaming everywhere, besieging towns and attacking wardstones. And YOU have to stop them. Its like a game built around the idea of world bosses on all different levels. Tonight, the Defiant players managed to release some giant crawling lobster thing in Scarlet Gorge and we, the Guardians, had to jump in and help put it down. These aren't tank-and-spank bosses either. This one was summoning adds and setting up fire to stay out of as well! Nothing a WoW veteran cannot handle...
I've also adopted a new 'Soul' too.- the Saboteur. Very interesting so far as it encompasses a snare and a ranged stacking attack (theres much more to it, but thats the basics). I'm looking forward to trying more of its tricks out in the fiuture.
I'm under no illusions about the longevity of RIFT. I can see little reason to replay the game with an alt as there is no new content to progress through, just the same thing again. I also know that my history of getting raids in is scant so the endgame might well not be visited much. However, the journey to that endgame is intriguing and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Chicken Little Does Entitlement
Ah, the Wrestler Unstoppable app on Facebook does it again.
They've only gone and changed something! Actually, they've changed quite a lot - the page layout, the addition of daily rewards, 'missions' (i.e. quests) and some other cosmetic stuff. Buttons have moved and you might take maybe almost ten seconds to work it all out.
So the natural reaction is a massive movement to go to the page's facebook page and give it One-Star reviews in order to nose-dive it down the app rankings and thus 'send a message' to the devs that they have not listened to the fans and introduced a trash talk board (like you would ever create that cesspit of bile willingly) or tag teams (again, imagine how quickly they would change and consider their worth).
The level of idiocy that says 'the way to express how much we love something is to try to destroy it' is so high, so mind-numbingly dense, its hard to comprehend.
Sadly, this is common place on Facebook. Remember the old facebook layouts?
No, I don't either but at the time these changes were the sole reason fro the destruction of Facebook, the depletion of the ozone layer and your ability not to pull on a Saturday night! Change and Facebook do not mix well. Ever.
Time will tell whether Wrestler: Unstoppable will survive having some buttons moved....
Sunday, June 26, 2011
In Brightest Day....
Well, this has been a long time coming but I finally got to see Green Lantern on the big screen. I have tried my hardest to keep away from too many spoilers and comments but generally, the scuttlebutt that I have heard is that it was going to be a bit of a turkey. I've a very high tolerance for bad films, with my baseline now being the truly snore-inducing Pirates IV, so what did I think?
It was ... OK. I'd go as far as to say 'Good' but only as a rabid Green Lantern fan, and that I think was the films problem.
One of the issues I see with the GL franchise is that it deals with a lot of 'big ideas' - immortal beings, Oa at the centre of the universe, splitting said universe into 3600 sectors, using the power of Will through rings which are charged from lanterns which gain their power from a big lantern which in turn harnasses the power of a being of immense power called Ion but also has a being called Parallax in it which is Fear but also makes the rings immune to yellow unless you have learned to overcome great fear and then.... you get the picture?
Compare that to ' Boy sees parents gunned down and grows up to be extreme vigilante' or 'last survivor of dead world comes to Earth, has cool powers, is awesome'. Note in my diatribe above we haven't even started on Hal Jordan yet?!
So there is a lot to work with and a lot of baseline understanding that makes the franchise tick. Once you understand it, fine, but until then its quite complex and daunting.
I did like the way they cherry-picked the best of the new stuff and some of the classics too. Having Hector Hammond as the first villain was very cool, especially noting his obsession with Carol Ferris. Indeed, how everyone fell in love with Carol was nice too, because she does have the power to instill great love and the nod to this, in her 'sapphire' call sign made me smile. Amanda Waller and the D.E.O., yep, nice. Having Hal, Parallax and the Sun all put together like that was a nice nod to Final Night as well. And I'm told there is a post credits scene with Sinestro becoming the man we all know and love. Excellent. Oh and one head-scratcher for the non-initiated is kept - why does Abin Sur, a space-faring Green Lantern - need a spaceship to travel around? Who knows... We also had nods to Hal's father's death ala the recent storyline and his dysfunctional relationship with his family. All good.
I can also see where they made some decisions to not complicate things. Leaving out the old yellow problem was good as it would have become a distraction. Hammond as a non-stunted form was probably a decent call too, as they did manage to get some of his transformation included. Even Parallax as a renegade Guardian was a decent call as I think it might have been too much to include the seven beings of the emotional spectrum and then the concept of the seven corps at this early stage.
Special effects were fine. Lots of CGI in this film, some better than others. I could have done without the animated costumes etc. Actually, the one thing that really did put me off was that when he has his mask on, Ryan Reynolds looks a lot like Ben Stiller and I kept seeing Green Lantern as Zohan! The story was ... exactly what you would have written for this sort of movie. In fact, thats probably the biggest downside of the film - the story is so cookie-cutter, by the numbers Hollywood blockbuster, that it makes it quite a dull viewing when you are not looking for the next Easter egg. I don't think that makes good cinema. There's just no tension!
Oh and the visual treatment of Parallax? Another galactic entity reduced to a giant fart, ala Galactus in FF2. *shakes head*
On the flipside, check out the trailer for the new Transformers film. No set-up in this one, it just looks like two hours of what Bay does Best. BOOOM! I'm actually quite looking forward to it for the spectacle. That is if I can hold back my Harry Potter excitement any longer.
Green Lantern. Its OK. Better if you like the comics, worse if you cannot parse exposition quickly.
It was ... OK. I'd go as far as to say 'Good' but only as a rabid Green Lantern fan, and that I think was the films problem.
One of the issues I see with the GL franchise is that it deals with a lot of 'big ideas' - immortal beings, Oa at the centre of the universe, splitting said universe into 3600 sectors, using the power of Will through rings which are charged from lanterns which gain their power from a big lantern which in turn harnasses the power of a being of immense power called Ion but also has a being called Parallax in it which is Fear but also makes the rings immune to yellow unless you have learned to overcome great fear and then.... you get the picture?
Compare that to ' Boy sees parents gunned down and grows up to be extreme vigilante' or 'last survivor of dead world comes to Earth, has cool powers, is awesome'. Note in my diatribe above we haven't even started on Hal Jordan yet?!
So there is a lot to work with and a lot of baseline understanding that makes the franchise tick. Once you understand it, fine, but until then its quite complex and daunting.
I did like the way they cherry-picked the best of the new stuff and some of the classics too. Having Hector Hammond as the first villain was very cool, especially noting his obsession with Carol Ferris. Indeed, how everyone fell in love with Carol was nice too, because she does have the power to instill great love and the nod to this, in her 'sapphire' call sign made me smile. Amanda Waller and the D.E.O., yep, nice. Having Hal, Parallax and the Sun all put together like that was a nice nod to Final Night as well. And I'm told there is a post credits scene with Sinestro becoming the man we all know and love. Excellent. Oh and one head-scratcher for the non-initiated is kept - why does Abin Sur, a space-faring Green Lantern - need a spaceship to travel around? Who knows... We also had nods to Hal's father's death ala the recent storyline and his dysfunctional relationship with his family. All good.
I can also see where they made some decisions to not complicate things. Leaving out the old yellow problem was good as it would have become a distraction. Hammond as a non-stunted form was probably a decent call too, as they did manage to get some of his transformation included. Even Parallax as a renegade Guardian was a decent call as I think it might have been too much to include the seven beings of the emotional spectrum and then the concept of the seven corps at this early stage.
Special effects were fine. Lots of CGI in this film, some better than others. I could have done without the animated costumes etc. Actually, the one thing that really did put me off was that when he has his mask on, Ryan Reynolds looks a lot like Ben Stiller and I kept seeing Green Lantern as Zohan! The story was ... exactly what you would have written for this sort of movie. In fact, thats probably the biggest downside of the film - the story is so cookie-cutter, by the numbers Hollywood blockbuster, that it makes it quite a dull viewing when you are not looking for the next Easter egg. I don't think that makes good cinema. There's just no tension!
Oh and the visual treatment of Parallax? Another galactic entity reduced to a giant fart, ala Galactus in FF2. *shakes head*
On the flipside, check out the trailer for the new Transformers film. No set-up in this one, it just looks like two hours of what Bay does Best. BOOOM! I'm actually quite looking forward to it for the spectacle. That is if I can hold back my Harry Potter excitement any longer.
Green Lantern. Its OK. Better if you like the comics, worse if you cannot parse exposition quickly.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The Emperor Protects!
Through a strange mixture of circumstance, it has come around to me being 'in the chair' for roleplaying again soon. Well, soon being next, as our schedule is as random as ever. And indeed, the game I am going to run has come around by a strange mix of circumstance as well - adopted from another GM no less! Its going to be 'The Emperor Protects!' - a Warhammer 40k hack for Duty & Honour.
I have to say, this is a game that I never thought I would run or that I would enjoy the prospect of so much. Back when I was a lad, I did 'play' WH40k a few times. Just a few. I used to paint the figures a lot more often and had myself a canny little collection of space marines, eldar harlequins and squats. Poor old squats. However, as I grew up these things were deemed too expensive and well, dull, and I abandoned tabletop gaming before it became the behemoth it is today. And thats the way it stayed for literally decades until Dave suggested that D&H was made to run something called 'Gaunt's Ghosts' - a sort of Sharpe in Space apparently. I wasn't convinced, not because of the concept but because I viewed the WH40k fiction as somewhere just above the Beano in quality of content and I thought that the Warhammer universe was just a trap for the dread lore wars.
Anyway, Dave persevered and it looked like his time was on the horizon so I thought I would have a go at the hack. To do so however, I had to do some assimilation, some research. So I started reading the huge volumes of the Ghosts omnibuses. Little did I know that I would become so absorbed by them and that they were every bit as good as the other military SF I have read, if not better in some places. What I also discovered was that a lot of the 'lore' is simply fluff. You can do an awful lot with a few words here or there, a few phrases etc. Thats exactly the same mechanism I usually use to build the flavour into a game of vanilla D&H. Good stuff.
Once I got my head around that, everything just fell into place. The game itself is an almost straight fit for the genre, with some small changes and introductions. New weapons, new traits etc. were a given. Armour has been introduced and some complications for weapons as well. A slightly more granular Mission system allows for objectives to be included in the challenges. Its looking quite nice - so nice that I have booked two games of this into Furnace, my favourite convention in October.
Of course, none of this is ever going to result in a saleable product without some radical reworking to remove any hint of the GW IP, but it has been a fun experiment and in many ways has reawoken both my love for my own system and my interest in the WH40k universe.
I have to say, this is a game that I never thought I would run or that I would enjoy the prospect of so much. Back when I was a lad, I did 'play' WH40k a few times. Just a few. I used to paint the figures a lot more often and had myself a canny little collection of space marines, eldar harlequins and squats. Poor old squats. However, as I grew up these things were deemed too expensive and well, dull, and I abandoned tabletop gaming before it became the behemoth it is today. And thats the way it stayed for literally decades until Dave suggested that D&H was made to run something called 'Gaunt's Ghosts' - a sort of Sharpe in Space apparently. I wasn't convinced, not because of the concept but because I viewed the WH40k fiction as somewhere just above the Beano in quality of content and I thought that the Warhammer universe was just a trap for the dread lore wars.
Anyway, Dave persevered and it looked like his time was on the horizon so I thought I would have a go at the hack. To do so however, I had to do some assimilation, some research. So I started reading the huge volumes of the Ghosts omnibuses. Little did I know that I would become so absorbed by them and that they were every bit as good as the other military SF I have read, if not better in some places. What I also discovered was that a lot of the 'lore' is simply fluff. You can do an awful lot with a few words here or there, a few phrases etc. Thats exactly the same mechanism I usually use to build the flavour into a game of vanilla D&H. Good stuff.
Once I got my head around that, everything just fell into place. The game itself is an almost straight fit for the genre, with some small changes and introductions. New weapons, new traits etc. were a given. Armour has been introduced and some complications for weapons as well. A slightly more granular Mission system allows for objectives to be included in the challenges. Its looking quite nice - so nice that I have booked two games of this into Furnace, my favourite convention in October.
Of course, none of this is ever going to result in a saleable product without some radical reworking to remove any hint of the GW IP, but it has been a fun experiment and in many ways has reawoken both my love for my own system and my interest in the WH40k universe.
Tired?
I'm knackered.
Not just in a 'a bit exhausted' way - in a 'oh God, yesterday I passed out asleep whilst reading' way. Its quite scary as I simply cannot lie in whatsoever and I hate going to bed early at night as I tend to be at my most awake around 10pm. Really, I could do with a life of four six hour periods rather than two twelve hours ones. But this is just an aside.
I'm also coming to the conclusion that I am tired of many things. Things that seem to be ever present in the world and have annoyed me for a while, but now I just cannot be arsed. Like comics. The new DC Universe reboot has hit me like a large wave of 'meh'. I've told Glenn at FP that I'll just let my order end when it happens. I can't be bothered with the constant re-inventing the wheel, the constant need to chase the new readers at the expense of the old. The need to fiddle. Nope, thats knackered me out. I can't even be arsed to get riled up about politics anymore - and considering the tenderhooks that my job has me on at almost every turn, thats like turkeys forgetting what month comes after November.
I'm tired of 'fans' as well. One of the more intriguing parts of the latest half series of Dr Who has not been the show itself, but the reaction of the fans - on facebook, twitter etc. What a bunch of entitled fools. Two messages stick with me. The first one condemned the entire show as 'fail' because the poster had managed to guess the identity of River Song earlier on. Boo hoo! You guessed, you won, well done. That doesn't make the show a failure. The other one was one early on that condemned the show as an utter disaster because of one set of overnight ratings that made it the 'least watched Nu-Who' of some such. A week later when the official figures were announced, this changed substantially, but that mercenary poster was desperate to have his pound of flesh.
I've seen this before in wrestling - when the comparative ratings between the WWE and TNA were scoured over, quarter hour by quarter hour, to see whether the observers could glean some meaning - like modern day soothsayers picking through the entrails of a dead sheep. It just ends in ill feeling and tribalism.
I'm tired - so very tired - of being made to feel like I should apologise for the TV I watch and the books that I read. Not by people who watch radically different shows, or read radically different books. That would be understandable. No, its by people who are essentially forcing a cigarette paper between two things and then calling one side good and one side bad. I'm tired of people telling me how bad Green Lantern will be next week - I'm going to watch it regardless, you know?
Moreover I'm tired of the relentless need to pronounce things 'Awesome!' or 'Terrible!' with no middle ground. Can nothing just be 'Good','Acceptable','Perfectly Acceptable Viewing'? Why does it always have to be the most erection inducing thing EVER or so utter disdainful that its mere mention kills puppies.
And I'm tired of puppies. Because I want one and too many people have them.
I yearn for a world of positivity - where the ability the internet and the communications revolution has given us is tempered by an old Mam's saying ... 'If you can't say something nice, don't say it at all.'
Right, time to go to sle...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Not just in a 'a bit exhausted' way - in a 'oh God, yesterday I passed out asleep whilst reading' way. Its quite scary as I simply cannot lie in whatsoever and I hate going to bed early at night as I tend to be at my most awake around 10pm. Really, I could do with a life of four six hour periods rather than two twelve hours ones. But this is just an aside.
I'm also coming to the conclusion that I am tired of many things. Things that seem to be ever present in the world and have annoyed me for a while, but now I just cannot be arsed. Like comics. The new DC Universe reboot has hit me like a large wave of 'meh'. I've told Glenn at FP that I'll just let my order end when it happens. I can't be bothered with the constant re-inventing the wheel, the constant need to chase the new readers at the expense of the old. The need to fiddle. Nope, thats knackered me out. I can't even be arsed to get riled up about politics anymore - and considering the tenderhooks that my job has me on at almost every turn, thats like turkeys forgetting what month comes after November.
I'm tired of 'fans' as well. One of the more intriguing parts of the latest half series of Dr Who has not been the show itself, but the reaction of the fans - on facebook, twitter etc. What a bunch of entitled fools. Two messages stick with me. The first one condemned the entire show as 'fail' because the poster had managed to guess the identity of River Song earlier on. Boo hoo! You guessed, you won, well done. That doesn't make the show a failure. The other one was one early on that condemned the show as an utter disaster because of one set of overnight ratings that made it the 'least watched Nu-Who' of some such. A week later when the official figures were announced, this changed substantially, but that mercenary poster was desperate to have his pound of flesh.
I've seen this before in wrestling - when the comparative ratings between the WWE and TNA were scoured over, quarter hour by quarter hour, to see whether the observers could glean some meaning - like modern day soothsayers picking through the entrails of a dead sheep. It just ends in ill feeling and tribalism.
I'm tired - so very tired - of being made to feel like I should apologise for the TV I watch and the books that I read. Not by people who watch radically different shows, or read radically different books. That would be understandable. No, its by people who are essentially forcing a cigarette paper between two things and then calling one side good and one side bad. I'm tired of people telling me how bad Green Lantern will be next week - I'm going to watch it regardless, you know?
Moreover I'm tired of the relentless need to pronounce things 'Awesome!' or 'Terrible!' with no middle ground. Can nothing just be 'Good','Acceptable','Perfectly Acceptable Viewing'? Why does it always have to be the most erection inducing thing EVER or so utter disdainful that its mere mention kills puppies.
And I'm tired of puppies. Because I want one and too many people have them.
I yearn for a world of positivity - where the ability the internet and the communications revolution has given us is tempered by an old Mam's saying ... 'If you can't say something nice, don't say it at all.'
Right, time to go to sle...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Series Cancelled!
On the day that Action Comics #900 came out, I cancelled by subscription to DC Universe Online. OK, it doesn't run out until the middle of June, but its not being renewed.
I've given the game a good go and I think it has amazing potential, but at the moment thats all it is - potential. It doesn't seem to have hit the multi-faceted nature of play that I look for, and indeed, need, in a game like this. To whit, the game has exceptionally limited linear content. You do 1-30 and then you grind tokens for gear to get better at grinding tokens for gear. Readers of my WoW playing woes will remember that this is an aspect of a game that I detest with a passion, especially when I am grinding tokens to grind tokens without my friends.
The endgame grind simply does not hold the same attraction to me as the exploratory beginnings of WoW way back in the day and the feeling of group achievement. The DC game suffers exactly the same. Its too fast and too easy and then WHAM! its all grouped and grindy. Not even world PvP 'counts' which is a crying shame.
There are many many good things about this game but in the end, as per usual, when the chips are down my very insular definition of the term 'multiplayer' dooms it to failure.
ho hum.
I've given the game a good go and I think it has amazing potential, but at the moment thats all it is - potential. It doesn't seem to have hit the multi-faceted nature of play that I look for, and indeed, need, in a game like this. To whit, the game has exceptionally limited linear content. You do 1-30 and then you grind tokens for gear to get better at grinding tokens for gear. Readers of my WoW playing woes will remember that this is an aspect of a game that I detest with a passion, especially when I am grinding tokens to grind tokens without my friends.
The endgame grind simply does not hold the same attraction to me as the exploratory beginnings of WoW way back in the day and the feeling of group achievement. The DC game suffers exactly the same. Its too fast and too easy and then WHAM! its all grouped and grindy. Not even world PvP 'counts' which is a crying shame.
There are many many good things about this game but in the end, as per usual, when the chips are down my very insular definition of the term 'multiplayer' dooms it to failure.
ho hum.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Smallville
Whilst I am nowhere near the game buyer I used to be when I was a kid, I will pick up a new and innovative system if it gets a decent sounding online. Sometimes this doesn't work (Reign) for me and sometimes it works very well (Mouse Guard) and sometimes its absolutely revelatory. Ladies and Gentlemen, Smallville definitely falls into the third category.
As I'm sure you are all aware, Smallville is the reimagining of the Superboy mythos thats been on our screens now for nine seasons. Personally, until I picked up the game I have not seen one episode of it and now I have only see half a dozen shows from S1. Thats not important really as I know a fair bit about DC mythology (yeah, you can stop laughing at the back...understatement of the century) and I know how US teen drama works. Anyway, the real reason I wanted to pick up the book was that it has been raved about online for two mechanics.
The first is the character generation which is powered by the group generation of a massive, intricate relationship map which brings characters, NPCs, groups, locations and more important than all those together, relationships, are there at the beginning of the game. Sure, there are some mechanical bits but this, this is amazing. It does everything I ever wanted it to do and more. We did an experimental chargen session and it rocked. Four characters, all interlinked, dripping with potential. I'd love to do it again, with a proper game idea in place and some real intricate consideration of some of the decisions and answers. It would make for an amazing game.
The second thing is the mechanics of the game which centre around the 'why' rather than the 'how' of actions. So instead of saying 'I hit him with my sword' and then describing the mechanics of the situation, you say 'He stands between me and the woman I love and I cannot see her insulted in this way again!'. Thats very different from the games that I have played before - even some of the 'indie' ones - and I want to explore that and see whether it drives a different kind of play.
We may never play Smallville - we just have so many potential games and so little time - but I think some of the lessons that the game brings will stay with us and be incorporated into our evolving metagame. Thats a great thing in my opinion.
As I'm sure you are all aware, Smallville is the reimagining of the Superboy mythos thats been on our screens now for nine seasons. Personally, until I picked up the game I have not seen one episode of it and now I have only see half a dozen shows from S1. Thats not important really as I know a fair bit about DC mythology (yeah, you can stop laughing at the back...understatement of the century) and I know how US teen drama works. Anyway, the real reason I wanted to pick up the book was that it has been raved about online for two mechanics.
The first is the character generation which is powered by the group generation of a massive, intricate relationship map which brings characters, NPCs, groups, locations and more important than all those together, relationships, are there at the beginning of the game. Sure, there are some mechanical bits but this, this is amazing. It does everything I ever wanted it to do and more. We did an experimental chargen session and it rocked. Four characters, all interlinked, dripping with potential. I'd love to do it again, with a proper game idea in place and some real intricate consideration of some of the decisions and answers. It would make for an amazing game.
The second thing is the mechanics of the game which centre around the 'why' rather than the 'how' of actions. So instead of saying 'I hit him with my sword' and then describing the mechanics of the situation, you say 'He stands between me and the woman I love and I cannot see her insulted in this way again!'. Thats very different from the games that I have played before - even some of the 'indie' ones - and I want to explore that and see whether it drives a different kind of play.
We may never play Smallville - we just have so many potential games and so little time - but I think some of the lessons that the game brings will stay with us and be incorporated into our evolving metagame. Thats a great thing in my opinion.
Saturday, April 09, 2011
The Other Side
Due to a complete lack of action on 'Reality Lost', the EU PvP server for DCUO, I have rerolled onto 'Death and Glory', a US PvP server. What a difference!
First, there are obviously some possible issues playing on a transatlantic server, but they haven't materialised. Lag is non-existant and reactions seem just the same as on the EU servers. Second, the PvP aspect simply makes the game better. One of the most frustrating parts of playing on a PvE server is that a superhero game has a natural, in-built, factionalised PvP bias. Heroes stop villains, right? They don't stand by and watch them do their crimes. Now, as a villain (as I am on this server) you are watching your back all of the time. Its so much better. Sure, you get ganked occassionally and no, I am not a great PvPer, but it adds a certain something.
The new character, 'The Untouchable', is a gadgets/dual pistol/Joker character and a totally different kettle of bananas to Pele (a Fire Tank). The addition of bona fide CC to the arsenal makes for a very different game and then there is stealth which is simply delightful for PvP. The class is more like a WoW Rogue, but with the addition of thermite and implosion bombs, handcuffs, backstabbing and the almighty Bomb! its a right handful. Great stuff to play.
I've even managed to ... (you may need to sit down here) ... talk and play with other people! I know, I know, its amazing but its true. I even did an instance with another person (the Mr Freeze one) which was a lot of fun. Still unsure about the longevity of the game, but its had a new lease of life with this little server distraction.
First, there are obviously some possible issues playing on a transatlantic server, but they haven't materialised. Lag is non-existant and reactions seem just the same as on the EU servers. Second, the PvP aspect simply makes the game better. One of the most frustrating parts of playing on a PvE server is that a superhero game has a natural, in-built, factionalised PvP bias. Heroes stop villains, right? They don't stand by and watch them do their crimes. Now, as a villain (as I am on this server) you are watching your back all of the time. Its so much better. Sure, you get ganked occassionally and no, I am not a great PvPer, but it adds a certain something.
The new character, 'The Untouchable', is a gadgets/dual pistol/Joker character and a totally different kettle of bananas to Pele (a Fire Tank). The addition of bona fide CC to the arsenal makes for a very different game and then there is stealth which is simply delightful for PvP. The class is more like a WoW Rogue, but with the addition of thermite and implosion bombs, handcuffs, backstabbing and the almighty Bomb! its a right handful. Great stuff to play.
I've even managed to ... (you may need to sit down here) ... talk and play with other people! I know, I know, its amazing but its true. I even did an instance with another person (the Mr Freeze one) which was a lot of fun. Still unsure about the longevity of the game, but its had a new lease of life with this little server distraction.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Finally.....
Yeah, I'm stoked about the Rock being back around the WWE, but that aside, the PC is back and running and I have been able to play a little more DCUO! So, as promised, here's more fashion shots of my character in the various collectible outfits.
The left-hand image is due to a special trinket which allows me to transform into a Manhunter. As a bit of a Green Lantern geek, thats pretty much awesome and (oh how I wish they had dedicated RP servers) could have made for some awesome RP storylines. The middle image is the 'Biomech' suit which makes you look like Bug from the Micronauts. OK, if thats your bag. Finally, the right-hand image is the Egyptian outfit, which looked pretty good until I got the final piece - the god awful head-dress. Would it have hurt the game too much to have an accessible Horus-style hawk head that could have doubled up for the six Hawkman fans out there? Really?
These two extras are examples of the hoodies that I have picked up from the daily random Vault. The left-hand image is the 'Hawkman Hoodie' and the right-hand one is the 'Martian Manhunter hoodie' - or the Trivial Pursuit top as I prefer to call it.
More later
The left-hand image is due to a special trinket which allows me to transform into a Manhunter. As a bit of a Green Lantern geek, thats pretty much awesome and (oh how I wish they had dedicated RP servers) could have made for some awesome RP storylines. The middle image is the 'Biomech' suit which makes you look like Bug from the Micronauts. OK, if thats your bag. Finally, the right-hand image is the Egyptian outfit, which looked pretty good until I got the final piece - the god awful head-dress. Would it have hurt the game too much to have an accessible Horus-style hawk head that could have doubled up for the six Hawkman fans out there? Really?
These two extras are examples of the hoodies that I have picked up from the daily random Vault. The left-hand image is the 'Hawkman Hoodie' and the right-hand one is the 'Martian Manhunter hoodie' - or the Trivial Pursuit top as I prefer to call it.
More later
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