February 2012
2 posts
3 tags
Marvel RPG Launch Party
Face front, true believers! The time of heroics is upon us! Don your mask, power up your armour, and flaunt your mutant powers! Today is a very special post! I have been given permission by none other than Cam “Boymonster” Banks himself to do a short review of the Marvel heroic Roleplaying game Launch Party!
What is the Launch Party You Speak Of?
Most of you are aware of the...
5 tags
Twitter Tools
Some of you may have noticed that I have a few new tools going on. Some of the tools are right here on my site, while the rest are on my twitter feed! Heck, two of them are “hidden” tools that you never see me interact with! Today, I’m going to talk a bit about my cool new tools.
The first tool is Buffer. You may have noticed the button up top, next to the tweet button. Buffer...
January 2012
4 posts
2 tags
Rolling Dice - Opposed vs. Static
In most RPGs that I’ve played, rolls tend to be against static difficulty numbers. However, more recently, there have been more games that do opposed rolls. Today, I’m going to talk about the differences between the two, and which I like and why.
Definitions
To begin with, let’s define opposed and static.
An opposed roll is where both parties roll dice and compare
A static...
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Technoir & Trenchcoats
One of the things that I really like about Technoir is the fact that gear is really simple. I mean, if it helps you, add some push dice. If not, ignore it. Simple.
However, one place where a lot of games fall a bit short is when dealing with non-combat, non-vehicle items. Today, I’m going to be talking about the trenchcoats!
Trenchcoats?
Yes, you hear me right, trenchcoats. Let’s...
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New Years: New Rules
Ok, so the title is a bit lame, but hey, go with it for a bit, please? Thanks! ^_^
New Year
With it being 2012, there’s a lot going on for me. I’m getting married in April, the world is ending in December, and I’m sure there’s lot of stuff in between. So what does that mean for me?
Well, I’m going to be doing a lot of stuff in the next few months to get ready for...
December 2011
3 posts
2 tags
FATE Blocks - Necessary?
I’ve been pondering for a while now the necessity of the Block action. In theory, it seems like a great plan…in practice…well, read on, readers!
What Is a Block?
At its heart, a block is nothing more than a proactive defense. Not only are you giving up your action for a better defense, but you have the option of providing a better defense for others, as well.
Are There Other...
November 2011
2 posts
1 tag
Technoir Player's Guide 1.0.1
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been getting the Player’s Guide ready for mass consumption. And I did!
What’s Different?
The first difference is that it’s hosted on a real site. It’s not longer just on my dropbox. I’ll leave it there for now, but it’ll come down in a week or two.
Second—well, a byproduct of the first—is that it’s now...
Technoir Player's Guide 1.0
Alright, guys, it’s “done.” I’ve been working hard this week, and the online player’s guide is done!
What’s Different
Being as how I’ve made it into a web document, I did change a few things. The most noticeable is that the Relationship adjectives are in the Generation chapter, not the Adjective chapter.
Another thing to notice is that it’s pretty...
October 2011
2 posts
2 tags
Technoir Player's Guide is ONLINE!
I’ve been busy since my last post, even though I have been quite silent. I didn’t want to say anything until I got the green-light from Jeremy.
Enough Blabber, what is it?
Alright, now that I have your attention. I have started putting the Technoir Player’s Guide online. It’s designed specifically for viewing on smartphones and tablets. I mean, we’ve all been there...
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Nashville Transmission, Part VI
Welcome back for another exciting addition to my Technoir transmission: Nashville! Todays topic is Threats. It’s exciting that I’m getting to the end! After the threats, all that’s left is to make the tables, and try to pretty it up!
Threat Inspirations
The first thing we need to do is figure out the inspiration for the threats. For that, we’ll go back to what we’ve...
September 2011
2 posts
3 tags
Gambling in Bulldogs!
Yesterday was the second Bulldogs! game for my gaming group. So far, we’re having a blast! Two of my players wanted to do some gambling while at a pleasure palace planet—you know the type, if you want it, we got it type of place. Unfortunately, only one of the players actually had the gambling skill!
So to accommodate the player with no gambling skill, I broke the whole thing into a...
August 2011
4 posts
2 tags
Nashville Transmission, Part V
Wow, it’s been a while since my last installation of this transmission, but I’m back today! It’s time for some connections!
Connections
Connections are the go-to people that our protagonists go to for info and favors. They are the ones that point them in the right direction…most of the time. Remember that after they are connected enough to the plot-map, they may be at...
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Dragon Brigade: Opening Salvo
Recently, Margaret Weis Productions gave us a new free teaser of their upcoming RPG based on Margaret’s own, along with Robert Krammes, novel series. Being the Cortex+ buff that I am, I went ahead and downloaded it. I mean, why not, it’s free.
One of my friends, Adam (@atminn on twitter, Adam Minnine on G+), found out that I got my hands on it, and asked me what my thoughts were. I...
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I'm Not Dead Yet!
Yeah, yeah…I’ve been gone a while. Last week, I got a new job, so I’ve been getting back into the swing of the 8-5 life. But that doesn’t mean that I’m fading out of existence!
What’s on the Burner
There’s quite a lot of stuff that I have going on right now, on the blog, that I’d like to get done. Right now, I have the following unfinished:
The...
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Pool Fight! Aspects in Play
Last Sunday, I ran one of the best combats in FATE that I have ever been a part of! It was awesome! There were declarations, manoeuvres, magic, and an honest to God Dynasty-esque pool fight!
The Set-Up
Ok, here’s the set-up: The PCs were helping out a scared kid that got in over his head “playing” with vampires. You know the type, “Vampires are awesome, misunderstood...
July 2011
9 posts
3 tags
Arms of the Covenant Forces
I know it’s been a while since my last discussion on Halo, but I’m ready to get back to it! Last time we discussed weapons, it was UNSC gear. This time, it’s all about the Covenant!
A Primer on Plasma
As Halo veterans are aware, plasma weapons can be fired—or, in the case of the plasma pistol, charged—enough that it has to cool down. In FATE, the easiest way to...
3 tags
Shields Conquered!
After much debating, thinking, and bouncing ideas back and forth, I have come to a decision. Shields are going to be another stress track. Unlike my previous idea on shields, it’s going to be binary, no light/medium/heavy choices.
Shield Basics
Shields are going to be a 4-box track. Unlike the normal physical stress track, shields are a HP-type track. Meaning that if you take 2 stress, you...
1 tag
Technoir: A Gamers Perspective
So far, I’ve GMd three successful games of Technoir, and played in half a successful game. It was half successful because we got characters done, and through about half of the first adventure before technology decided to cut us off from each other. Oh well.
In any case, I’ve had more experience with Technoir in the past month or so than I have with almost any other game (heck,...
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Halo Hiatus? The Shields Quandary!
It’s been a while since my last Halo post, and I want to apologize. Ever since my last Halo post, Armour, Shields, & Stress, Oh My!, I’ve been beating around new ideas. Well, trying to fix what I perceive as broken, in any case.
What’s Broken?
That’s a good question, and an easy one to answer: shields. I’m not happy at all with how I did them. Well, let me...
2 tags
Nashville Transmission, Part IV
Welcome back to my Nashville Transmission! Now that the holiday week is over (well, holiday for my American readers, anyway), it’s time to get back to business! Today, I’m going to be working on the Factions in Nashville!
Starting Point
Going off of what I already have, I know of a few factions that I want to stat out. First off is some kind of criminal organization. I mean, I have...
3 tags
Armour, Shields, & Stress, Oh My!
One thing that’s been bugging me for a while is how to handle armour and shields. That’s energy shields, not buckler-type shields :p
Anyway, I’m not too happy with the way most FATE games do, with having it be a flat reduction of damage. I mean, the whole system is based on “Add this, add that, and maybe add some more.” Also, addition is mentally easier than...
2 tags
N00bnoir
Follow me here for a moment, I know the title is a bit…off. However, it has a purpose, trust me!
What the Heck Am I Talking About?
A little background. I started watching Naruto last night on Netflix, and was a bit taken aback by the first few episodes. From what I’d heard, Naruto was this epic ninja. Well, the first few episodes (I’ve seen 1-6 so far) has Naruto has a...
2 tags
Technoir Kickstarter Finished
So Technoir finished up earlier today to the tune of $24,255! That’s over 900% of Jeremy’s initial asking price of a measly $2.5k!
All I have to say is that I am happy that he did so well, and I’m glad to have been a part of it! Jeremy has a wonderful game going on, and it deserves every dollar it raised!
Congratulations, Jeremy, and may Technoir be all that for a long time...
June 2011
12 posts
2 tags
Nashville Transmission, Part III
It’s been a busy week, and we still have a houseful. So I’m going to have to be brief, sorry. Today I’m going to cover Objects!
Missing Guitar A stolen guitar, signed by Noah Rossi himself. [+] signed, derma-linked, unique, missing.
Proof of Illegal Activities Anyone in the illicit business doesn’t want proof of it out in the open. [+] incriminating, hunted, stolen, bad...
4 tags
Skills, Again
Yeah, I know…”skills again? Sheesh!” You’re thinking. Well, That’s because skills are one of the most customize-able parts of FATE. So here I am, again, talking about the skills I have chosen, and why.
From Whence it Came
My skill list is derived from a mix of three different FATE games: The Dresden Files, Bulldogs!, Diaspora, and Free FATE. There are quite a few...
This Just In... From Gen Con: New IndieGoGo... →
tjigencon:
Brennan Taylor, owner of Galileo Games and co-host with Rich of The Voice of the Revolution podcast, is throwing in some new stuff to help the TJI IndieGoGo campaign.
Brennan is donating a brand new adventure for Bulldogs! Sci-Fi That Kicks Ass, his Kickstarter-funded,…
2 tags
Nashville Transmission, Part II
Last week, I started working on a Transmission for Technoir. Today, I’m going to be working on part 2. Today, I’m going to be working on Events & Locations.
What We Have So Far
Last time, I came up with a concert and a tornado touching down. So I’m going to start there.
Country Sound-Off Every year, there is a festival for all the up-and-coming artists to showcase their...
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Arms of the UNSC
Wow, a lot has happened since my last post! A new FATE game has just been published, and I funded its Kickstarter. It’s called Bulldogs!, and is a Scifi game with some really awesome stuff in it! It was written by @brennanrtaylor.
One of the things that I love the most is the weapon and ship rules, so I’m going to be adopting them for Halo.
What’s Changed?
Ok, so now that we...
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Halo: The Story So Far
We’ve come a long way since I started my secret project, and I have a lot of stuff written so far. I figured that now would be a good time to bring it all together.
Aspects
All characters in Halo have 5 Aspects:
Core Concept
Achilles Heel
3 “Other” Aspects
The Core Concept is what your character is all about, what defines them. Their Achilles Heel is what causes trouble for...
2 tags
Let's Get Me a New Icon!
I know that it’s Thursday, and Thursday is usually Halo day, but today is a special post! Jeremy Keller, author of Technoir, has given me a challenge! I accept!
The Gauntlet Has Been Laid
Ok, so here’s the deal. If Technoir reaches $15,000, Jeremy is going to be giving us Hexnoir. Hexnoir is a “hack” that throws magic into the system. We’ve already gotten...
2 tags
Nashville Transmission, Part I
I had a twitter conversation the other day with @atminn, and we were talking about making some Transmissions for Technoir. He wanted to do one, but his hometown already has a transmission—the Twin Cities!
I told him he should just make one up, and that most people won’t care. It’s just like in the movies or TV shows. I’m sure you’ve all seen something on TV and said...
2 tags
FATE: Skills vs. Abilities
Alright, y’all, I need some help here. After my rant the other week about the skill bloat, I started looking at Strands of FATE and the way they do things. As of right now, I’m really torn between skills and abilities.
Why Skills?
Skills are really nice because each is good at exactly what it should be. If you’re a sneaky person, you have a high Stealth. Very good shot? High...
3 tags
Gear, Redux
I have been thinking a lot about my rules for gear lately. I’m not entirely sure I like what I have come up with so far.
Today, I’m just going to ramble, so bear with me.
Gear Rating to Determine Price
So far, I have gear with a rating, just like skills. This was originally intended to determine the cost of the item to purchase. I know that I haven’t talked about prices in...
2 tags
"Magic" in My Setting
Ok, I know what you’re saying, “Halo doesn’t have magic!” You’re right, it doesn’t. However, I am going to be adapting Halo to my personal Holy Grail. In that game, psionics are available, however limited. To bridge that gap, I’m doing magic now since I’m thinking about it.
Also, I’d like to apologize in advance for the short-sounding nature of the...
1 tag
Technoir Kickstarter Up
Jeremy started a Kickstarter this morning to get some funding for Technoir.
As of the time of this post, he has raised over $2k. His goal is $2,500 in 30 days. Somehow, I have the feeling that he’s going to make it… call me crazy :p
If you’re interested in helping this awesomesauce game, please visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/847327173/technoir-high-tech-hard-boiled-roleplaying to...
May 2011
8 posts
2 tags
The Bearer of the Ebon Blade
I’ve been watching a bit of Witchblade on Netflix. I’ve always been a fan of animé of this type: where the main characters are given superpowers via magic or super-science. Some of you may be more familiar with other stories in the same vein: Bleach, Devil May Cry, Sailor Moon, Ronin Warriors, etc.
In my Dresden Files game, we’re all making a secondary character in case we want...
2 tags
Observations on FATE
I am a player in a weekly Dresden Files RPG. We meet every Monday and game until the cows come home (well, midnight, since there really aren’t any cows in downtown Austin).
After several weeks of playing (that means 3), I have made some observations that have coloured the way that I am adapting my version of FATE. Some of them have reinforced why I’m doing things the way I’m...
3 tags
Time Travel
I was watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban yesterday with my fiancée, and I started wondering how to handle time travel in RPGs.
It’s a common enough trope in movies, books, and even video games.
In literature, it’s easy enough to do because the author has total authority over what happens and when. However, RPGs are a collaborative effort, where everyone writes some of...
2 tags
Technoir Playtest, Part 2
Two weeks ago or so I posted part 1 of my Technoir playtest. Today, it’s time for part 2!
One thing I do want to let y’all know. I did cut this one short, since the public beta playtest document has been released on the Technoir site. I decided to finish the first playtest with the rules that I had, and if I do another one, that’ll use the publicly available documentation.
...
3 tags
Vehicles
It’s been a real quiet week compared to last week, but that’s ok! It’s just given me more time to work on today’s post! This is the one that I’ve been mulling over for quite some time, so I hope it all makes sense!
One of the cooler aspects (pardon the pun) of the Haloverse is all the cool vehicles you get to play with. I remember fondly jumping into the turret on...
3 tags
The Inverse Law of Ninja
Wow, it’s been a busy week, hasn’t it? So much new stuff posted, I can hardly believe it! Well, it’s time to get back to Halo!
On today’s docket, we’re talking about mooks, minions, and red shirts. I really have no idea how it’s done in other FATE games, but I do know how I’m going to do it!
I’m sure that most of you are familiar with the Inverse...
2 tags
Why I Like Cortex+
A little bit ago, I babbled about the things that I like about the FATE system. Today, I’m going to babble on about the things I like about Cortex+.
There are quite a few things about Cortex+ That I like. Here’s the list:
Dice Pool
Roll & Keep
Plot Points
Fluid Action
Dice Mean Something
Easy Difficulties
All in Your Head
Dice Pool
Let’s face it, who doesn’t...
4 tags
Relationship Maps
A few weeks ago, the Shark Bone podcast did an episode on relationship maps, as found in the Smallville RPG. It was awesomesauce!
Anyway, it got me thinking. They laid the foundation for relationship mapping, but there is so much more that can be done.
First of all, I want to make it clear that I’m not saying Shark Bone did it wrong. On the contrary, they did an excellent job! What I am...
April 2011
9 posts
2 tags
Technoir Playtest, Part 1
Yesterday, I ran across a new RPG in the making, Technoir. With the playtest material available on the site, I was able to run through a short 2hr solo game today. Since I don’t have a regular gaming group yet, I do a fair bit of solo play, and I use Mythic Game Master Emulator to pass the time. Wonderful tool, I highly recommend it.
Anyway, I figured that I’d give y’all a...
3 tags
Technoir →
This game looks awesome! I just stumbled on it today, and thought I’d share!