What are y'all up to these days?

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I'm currently thinking of concepts for an OSR style fan game based on the Alien franchise, specifically the first three films. I may also include elements from the 2012 film Prometheus (as it is a distant prequel to the first Alien film) and the Predator franchise. I will be specifically avoiding any material from Alien: Resurrection or the AVP films as I do not like those films (elements from the Alien vs. Predator video games and comics are eligible to be included in this project though, especially the Capcom Alien vs. Predator game from the 90's)

I already have some player races in mind: Human, Android, and Cyborg, and possibly Predators and Engineers (AKA "Space Jockeys"), I just need to think of classes.

Humans, Androids, and Cyborgs can be affiliated with the Colonial Marines or the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, and perform missions such as rescuing civilians from Xenomorphs (or hunting Xenomorphs for sport if you're a Predator), and all five races have the main goal of recovering and salvaging technology on Xenomorph-infested worlds, whether it be taking back human technology or recovering relics created by the Engineers. Essentially, technology and gadgets are to this game what treasure is to traditional Dungeons & Dragons.

While I have my races down, I need to think of what the player classes will be and from there, work out the mechanics.
 
Imperator said:
Hello everyone!

I've been swamped with my second daughter, who was born with heart complications that required surgery at 4 months, my Dad's death and several other nasties like lots of work. That's why I was largely absent from messageboards and stuff.

Anyway: I'm running Giovanni Chronicles, and been doing so for a long time (we're on the 4th and final book now). It helps that the group is very small (me, the Missus, and 2 friends), we all live 10 minutes on foot from each other, and we play on weekdays once the girls are sleeping, so our games are short (from 9 PM to 11 PM, mayve a bit more) but fruitful, focused, and most importantly, almost every week.

I started a Fading Suns campaign with another group but it has more or less fizzled due to those players being very hard to agree on a date, and some of them having RL stuff. So I've more or less abandoned the idea, at the moment.

On the other hand, one of my best friends from Madrid has moved here, so hi and his girlfriend and the Missus will be my new Esoterrorists group. I tried the game a few times, but I want to try GUMSHOE on an extended campaign and see how it works.
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Congrats on the new gamer in the family. :grin: Sorry to hear about her heart, hopefully she'll be ok now.
 
Just heard about this place today and I'm overjoyed to have another forum option... Right now I'm busy fighting my own case of gamer ADHD... I'm running d6 Star Wars (Knights Errant) at my FLGS and on Roll20.net, but I've developed an itch to run one of several other games - namely Traveller, Call of Cthulhu, or Beyond the Wall... At the same time, I'm reading "Chanur's Legacy", which is really feeding my need to run a Traveller game of some sort... :confused:

So glad to be here...

Harl
 
H'lo. I heard about this place on another forum and decided to give it a try. I'm hoping it's a place where we can discuss games without politics ruining every discussion or the ego of the forum owner getting in the way as I have found with other forums.

I'm not running anything at the moment but I'm a big WFRP and BRP fan. Anyway, pleased to meet you all.
 
Hi. Lots of familiar faces. This seems an ideal thread for a first post here.

I'm currently playing in a playtest for an upcoming superhero RPG from Bedrock Games. It's a simple, no-nonsense system, and the setting has a great Silver Age feel.

I played in a Deadland Noir game that is currently on hiatus, but will be picking up again.

I've been introducing my nephews to gaming this year. I've started them with D&D B/X, as it has very simple character generation, and you don't need to understand much about the rules. I started them with Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, and have now moved into a more open sandbox with lots of parts from The Keep on the Borderlands and Palace of the Silver Princess.

I haven't run D&D in a long time, so I am enjoying it a lot.

It's gotten some of my friends interested in playing as well, so I am putting together another game to play with grown-ups online. It's a miserable, blustery day here, so I am inside deciding how I want to tweak B/X for this game. I've got ACKS, LotFP and my Sine Nomine and Hydra Collective stuff out to see what I want to add as I put my formal house rules together. I am being mindful not bury the simplicity of B/X in the process. While the proficiencies in ACKS are nice, I am thinking I might leave them for now, and save them for an ACKS-specific game in the future. I do like the way LotFP clarifies the use of the d6 in B/X though.

Once I get my rules in order, it will be time to work on the setting, which will be a mix of original content and published material that I hopefully arrange into something interesting.

In the future, I plan to get some more of the new Delta Green in, but I am waiting for the full version of the rules for that.
 
I've been either writing my own RPG (it.must.get.done.damnit) or playtesting boardgames with Breaking Games and other local designers.

I am really debating a moratorium on running RPGs that aren't my own. I'd still play anything and still buy new crap, but I wind up promoting stuff I like and I am feeling I should redirect those energies to my own shiznack.
 
The last game I ran was a short Godbound campaign. Three players: a death knight (death, sword, command), a litch (death, sorcery, and knowledge), and a hag (death, sorcery, and fertility). Game was fun as hell, but things got ugly very quickly as my players decided to poke at some things they shouldn't have been poking, and I seriously underestimated the lethality of this game. Both sorcerers went down, and the death knight ran for is life with a only a few HD remaining. Campaign's on pause while I rethink my threat levels.

Had to break for work stuff for a while after that.

Now currently prepping for a short, test game for Part-Time Gods, and trying to decide whether to jump back into Godbound, or begin prepping for a long-term ACKS campaign.
 
noman said:
The last game I ran was a short Godbound campaign. Three players: a death knight (death, sword, command), a litch (death, sorcery, and knowledge), and a hag (death, sorcery, and fertility). Game was fun as hell, but things got ugly very quickly as my players decided to poke at some things they shouldn't have been poking, and I seriously underestimated the lethality of this game. Both sorcerers went down, and the death knight ran for is life with a only a few HD remaining. Campaign's on pause while I rethink my threat levels.
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Sounds like fun :grin: what did you throw your PCs' way that beat them so soundly?
 
The Butcher said:
Sounds like fun :grin: what did you throw your PCs' way that beat them so soundly?
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2 lesser eldritch, their 2 skilled mage apprentices, and and a small mob of trained soldiers (bodyguards / servants). It was brutal.

The campaign was set in the Raktine Confederacy. The players had gotten together beforehand and come up with the idea of a band of ex-black academy agents/apprentices who later became godbound. Their goal was to take over the Confederacy.

They started off smart and quiet, and yes, you can pull that off in the Confederacy, even with over-the-top death powers. They knew the risks of provoking the academies, so they kept things on the down-low. A lot of behind the scenes political manipulations (the hag being particularly good at this) supported by tactical ambushes of key targets (rival lords, merchant companies, etc) in order to sow chaos and get things moving their way. It was really slick. I was proud of my players.

Then they lost their shit.

They decided to try a full takeover of one of the major port cities, with, you guessed it, an undead horde -- something they had been putting off until now. They took the city unawares but bumbled it. The royal family they wanted to capture got away, and they failed to secure half the city, but did manage to mostly burn down their half.

The local academy, who considered this city their territory, showed up. I came up with a scouting team made up of the above NPCs thinking it was be tough enough to warn the PCs of what they were up against, but be easy enough for them to get out alive and regroup.

Nope. Lots of bad, tactical decisions and lots of bad rolls destroyed the party.

They were hella pissed at first, but we were laughing about it later.
 
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As disastrous ends to campaigns go, that sounds like a fun one. I've got Godbound in my queue of games to get to. Maybe when my B/X game wraps up, I will reuse the same setting with Godbound and let the players burn it down as an encore.
 
Is it strange to play D&D with your waifu? I'm planning to run an AD&D game for me and Noctis and I'm wondering if I should use 1e, 2e, or a mix of the two. I know that sounds weird, but let me explain.

I'd imagine it'd be essentially the same as solo play (which I have done before with some difficulty) but I have something to look at which helps me concentrate and hone my DM skills better. I know playing RPG's with a Final Fantasy plushie may sound crazy but I am using that doll as a player surrogate/training device. It's really more of a means to train myself at being a better DM than anything actually crazy. I know Noctis is not real and that it's just a plushie (though sometimes I wish he was real).
 
Gearing up to re-start the Mutant campaign that has been on hold for way too long now. Going to run it using the rules from Mythras (with the psionic rules from M-Space) we are 1/3rd of the way through the pre-published campaign "undergångens arvtagare" the group really loves it, but I think I am doing a shit job of translating and running, to be honest.
 
Baulderstone said:
As disastrous ends to campaigns go, that sounds like a fun one. I've got Godbound in my queue of games to get to. Maybe when my B/X game wraps up, I will reuse the same setting with Godbound and let the players burn it down as an encore.
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It was meant to be a short campaign so that my players and I could see how the game played out, so the character deaths didn't sting as much as it normally would. But yeah, we had a lot of fun. I highly recommend Godbound for anyone looking for OSR style demigod level play. Very tight and balanced rules, excellent setting full of butt-clinching terror, and a large variety of character options.
 
noman said:
2 lesser eldritch, their 2 skilled mage apprentices, and and a small mob of trained soldiers (bodyguards / servants). It was brutal.

The campaign was set in the Raktine Confederacy. The players had gotten together beforehand and come up with the idea of a band of ex-black academy agents/apprentices who later became godbound. Their goal was to take over the Confederacy.

They started off smart and quiet, and yes, you can pull that off in the Confederacy, even with over-the-top death powers. They knew the risks of provoking the academies, so they kept things on the down-low. A lot of behind the scenes political manipulations (the hag being particularly good at this) supported by tactical ambushes of key targets (rival lords, merchant companies, etc) in order to sow chaos and get things moving their way. It was really slick. I was proud of my players.

Then they lost their shit.

They decided to try a full takeover of one of the major port cities, with, you guessed it, an undead horde -- something they had been putting off until now. They took the city unawares but bumbled it. The royal family they wanted to capture got away, and they failed to secure half the city, but did manage to mostly burn down their half.

The local academy, who considered this city their territory, showed up. I came up with a scouting team made up of the above NPCs thinking it was be tough enough to warn the PCs of what they were up against, but be easy enough for them to get out alive and regroup.

Nope. Lots of bad, tactical decisions and lots of bad rolls destroyed the party.

They were hella pissed at first, but we were laughing about it later.
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Yeah, I set my game in the Raktine Confederacy too; if Internet AP reports are anything to go by, it's a popular starting place.

I chalk it up to the feudal nature of the Confederacy that allows you to expand your influence more easily, the immediate threat of the Black Academies, internecine strife between the feudal lords (I played it up like a low-budget, Slavic-accented Game of Thrones), and sharing borders with other interesting places (Patria, Dulimbai, Toba, Nezdohva, Oasis, Thousand Gods).

Mine was also short-lived, only because of RL drama away from the game table — over politics, of all things — that ended up splitting the group :mad:

They closed down one Black Academy and were exporting their cult to neighboring provinces as the Academies were pooling together resources to stop them. Man, I miss that game.
 
The Butcher said:
Yeah, I set my game in the Raktine Confederacy too; if Internet AP reports are anything to go by, it's a popular starting place.

I chalk it up to the feudal nature of the Confederacy that allows you to expand your influence more easily, the immediate threat of the Black Academies, internecine strife between the feudal lords (I played it up like a low-budget, Slavic-accented Game of Thrones), and sharing borders with other interesting places (Patria, Dulimbai, Toba, Nezdohva, Oasis, Thousand Gods).
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This is similar to how I envisioned it. I had a lot more disorganization in terms of noble power structures: a sort of every lord for himself situation with no real central king and noble titles meaning less than the military and magical power you could wield. Sprinkle in some bandit kings and merchant companies to taste.

What attracted me to the Confederacy was the black academies. I came up with one part Fairy Tail magic guild, one part Shaolin monastery (with each academy training its disciples in one of the strifes) and one part Call of Cthulhu.

The Butcher said:
Mine was also short-lived, only because of RL drama away from the game table — over politics, of all things — that ended up splitting the group :mad:
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I'm sorry to hear that. :sad:

I can relate. Not going to derail this thread by introducing politics, but I've personally seen profitable business partnerships break up over Trump vs. Hillary and have heard of a few families splitting up for the same. Madness.

One of the rules I have as a GM is no politics or religion during gaming. Mostly works. Mostly.

The Butcher said:
They closed down one Black Academy and were exporting their cult to neighboring provinces as the Academies were pooling together resources to stop them. Man, I miss that game.
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It sounds really cool. Your players got a lot farther than mine. They were just beginning to get a death cult up and running when they got geeked.
 
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Well, seems like a new forum, because I need another one to get out my angst at not getting to play more!

Playing in a 5e game that is fine, but frankly a little bored of D&D. Got into Mythras very hard and missing running it or playing it. Game night has been interrupted for many reasons and finally got to play the Conan board game a bit and enjoyed it immensely. Looking forward to using the maps in a 13th age game.
 
I'll update my sig shortly, but I am running as many games as I have in a long time. I'm a little nervous that it could all come crashing down as my groups are a little unstable, but for the time being, I am running as many games as I can realistically maintain.

I am running Nights Black Agents on Thursday. It's been fun, but I hope to wrap it up soon.
We had a pair of players say they can only make the NBA game every other week, so I am now alternating with Fate games. Right now, I am playtesting Shadow of the Century, but will probably move into Bulldogs after that.

Alternating Fridays, I run Mutants & Masterminds. First time I've run supers since college (with the exception of running Icons for my girls.) Currently the game I am most jazzed about.

Running Pathfinder 1/month on Saturday. Very popular, my best attended game, busting at the seams after I made the mistake of thinking two players weren't going to show anymore and invited more. I am running the game in the D20/OGL Scarred Lands setting because I love the epic feel.

On other Saturdays, when we get the chance, one of my neophyte GMs is running Pathfinder Strange Aeons AP. He's a big lovecraft fan, and is very excited about the game. I hope it works out.
 
Honestly not getting to play anything at the moment. The 5e campaign I was running has been on hiatus (due to unforeseen circumstances on my part) so long I've lost interest in it. I just got a shiny new copy of Mythras and the Mythic Britain setting in so I may call up the old group and try to gauge interest.

Here lately my gaming has mostly been focused on solo wargaming. Painting up lots of 1/72 figures these days, just finished an Early Saxon warband for Song of Arthur and Merlin and have a box of Late Romans awaiting the brush.
 
Arkansan said:
Honestly not getting to play anything at the moment. The 5e campaign I was running has been on hiatus (due to unforeseen circumstances on my part) so long I've lost interest in it. I just got a shiny new copy of Mythras and the Mythic Britain setting in so I may call up the old group and try to gauge interest.

Here lately my gaming has mostly been focused on solo wargaming. Painting up lots of 1/72 figures these days, just finished an Early Saxon warband for Song of Arthur and Merlin and have a box of Late Romans awaiting the brush.
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Mythic Britain is fantastic. I expect that anyone who is spending their time painting a Saxon warband is well-qualified to run it.

I've done a little Mythras and I like the system a lot, but at the moment, I am doing all my gaming with kids or over video chat. In both cases, I like to stick to lighter systems. Mythras is just a touch heavier than I like for those situations.
 
Now officially tinkering on a homebrew 5e game that'll be houseruled just a bit. For one, I think I'm swiping a modified version of Dungeon Crawl Classics magic to help make magic rarer, darker and scarier.
 
Tommy Brownell said:
Now officially tinkering on a homebrew 5e game that'll be houseruled just a bit. For one, I think I'm swiping a modified version of Dungeon Crawl Classics magic to help make magic rarer, darker and scarier.
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The feel of magic in Dungeon Crawl Classics is one of my favorite features. I've got a copy but sadly I've never been able to put a group together.
 
Arkansan said:
The feel of magic in Dungeon Crawl Classics is one of my favorite features. I've got a copy but sadly I've never been able to put a group together.
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It plays much better than I expected for something that has so many moving parts. The added crunch does slow things down a little compared to vanilla, early-edition D&D, but unlike a lot of crunchy games, it pays off in crazy, entertaining results. You do want to be sure that everyone has copies of their crit tables and spell descriptions though.
 
The 5e game I was in finished a couple weeks back. Went from levels 1-6. Still not a fan of the system, but it can get cheeks in seats, so whatya gonna do. It ran outta steam cuz the DM couldn't be bothered to look for more players, for some frelling reason that was my job.

Been putting the finishing touches on a PF campaign. It should be up and running in early June.

Doing a half dozen or so One Shots of AMP:Year One at the local shops that also sell comics.
 
Sommerjon said:
The 5e game I was in finished a couple weeks back. Went from levels 1-6. Still not a fan of the system, but it can get cheeks in seats, so whatya gonna do. It ran outta steam cuz the DM couldn't be bothered to look for more players, for some frelling reason that was my job.

Been putting the finishing touches on a PF campaign. It should be up and running in early June.

Doing a half dozen or so One Shots of AMP:Year One at the local shops that also sell comics.
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You should run the adventure from the TRAC guide!

I only say that because I wrote it. :smile:
 
Baulderstone said:
It plays much better than I expected for something that has so many moving parts. The added crunch does slow things down a little compared to vanilla, early-edition D&D, but unlike a lot of crunchy games, it pays off in crazy, entertaining results. You do want to be sure that everyone has copies of their crit tables and spell descriptions though.
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I'll likely try to strike a middle ground in streamlining it. Worst case scenario is I'll have the PDF at the ready.

May not even come up, depending on who plays what. I just want magic being a little more dangerous than it is in RAW D&D 5e.
 
Tommy Brownell said:
You should run the adventure from the TRAC guide!

I only say that because I wrote it. :smile:
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Not a fan of the system. I gave it a whirl twice running PotA all the way through and another running homebrew.
I'll play it, but wont run it anymore.
 
I just bought a hard copy of Dungeon Crawl Classics from Cavalier Comics in Wise, Virginia, and I have to say I love it. I want to DM a DCC Campaign using a homebrew setting. DCC is probably my favorite OSR game yet.
 
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Doc Sammy said:
DCC is probably my favorite OSR game yet.
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It's definitely mine.
I'm not even much of a fan of D&D but of all the games I'm playing these days I find myself looking forward to DCC the most... which might also have to do with the excellent group that's built up over the past couple years.
Every session is sure to have surprises and even at 5th level I feel I could get snuffed at any moment, which I love.
 
Doc Sammy said:
I just bought a hard copy of Dungeon Crawl Classics from Cavalier Comics in Wise, Virginia, and I have to say I love it. I want to DM a DCC Campaign using a homebrew setting. DCC is probably my favorite OSR game yet.
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Have you got the weird Zocci [sic?] dice yet?
 
I had all the weird Zocchi dice before a published game used them. A friend of mine had a homebrew he was working on that used different dice as skill levels. I like precision dice, whether from Zocchi or the old ones from The Armory, only dice that always stop when you need them to.

That app from Purple-whatever Games is pretty good, too.
 
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