Interesting finds on Drivethru

Best Selling RPGs - Available Now @ DriveThruRPG.com

Nexus

Legendary Pubber
Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
1,646
Where do they come up with these original ideas?

Less than Two

Less Than Two is a One Page RPG where characters are immortals living their lives until they hear the call of the Hastening.

When The Hastening occurs, immortals can sense one another and are drawn into conflict until there are Less Than Two of them.

This One Page RPG uses d8s and simulates a world where immortals walk the earth and wield swords.
 
I'm starting to think that some of these games are just another kind of creative outlet. That some of them aren't necessarily meant to be played, just thought experiments.

This rationalization helps me accept the fact that there are RPGs out there, gaining traction on social media or even Kickstarter, with extremely narrow scopes. Eg.: "in this game, you are an internet blogger coping with a natural disaster in another part of the world and you have run out of Ramen noodles; the players are this character's arms, legs, brain and emotions as she leaves her cozy apartment to walk down the street to the corner shop."
 
The modal average human has two arms, two legs, two eyes, two ears, two hands, one nose, one mouth, eight fingers, two thumbs, ten toes, some genetalia, etc. We can fairly describe someone with that as "one human", quantitatively.

So the hastening comes down to you and your best friend, and your two favourite swords. You don't want to kill each other, but there must be Less Than Two, so instead you and your friend play some sort of game - rock / paper / scissors, because why not - and the loser loses a finger. Now they have less than the modal average, so are effectively quantitatively less than one human, the prophecy is kept, and you and your mate get to live happily ever after.
 
Weird. I was just talking with some friends last night about that mid '90s RPG that was Highlander with the serial numbers filed off. I can't recall the name though.
 
Weird. I was just talking with some friends last night about that mid '90s RPG that was Highlander with the serial numbers filed off. I can't recall the name though.
There was also a WoD fangame which I thought had some pretty good ideas in it. The author worked harder than I would have to make it compatible with the other lines.
 
There was also a WoD fangame which I thought had some pretty good ideas in it. The author worked harder than I would have to make it compatible with the other lines.
Yeah, Highlander: The Gathering, that was a very cool piece of work.
 
The modal average human has two arms, two legs, two eyes, two ears, two hands, one nose, one mouth, eight fingers, two thumbs, ten toes, some genetalia, etc. We can fairly describe someone with that as "one human", quantitatively.

So the hastening comes down to you and your best friend, and your two favourite swords. You don't want to kill each other, but there must be Less Than Two, so instead you and your friend play some sort of game - rock / paper / scissors, because why not - and the loser loses a finger. Now they have less than the modal average, so are effectively quantitatively less than one human, the prophecy is kept, and you and your mate get to live happily ever after.
In Highlander, the most efficient way and least overall damaging for you both to survive would probably be to hack away at each other until you both consisted of 74% of a "Quantative Human". That way you would be less than one and a half humans which rounded down (according to the approved mathematical manner) would be one; which we all know there can be ,only.

Your method would work, for this new and totally original game, Less than Two. Less than two being, in fact, not the same as one "Quantative Human". Thus proving that this is indeed an entirely new and original game and not derived from any other property, idea or concept.

Originality, provable and mathematical!:grin:

GR
 
I'm starting to think that some of these games are just another kind of creative outlet. That some of them aren't necessarily meant to be played, just thought experiments.

This rationalization helps me accept the fact that there are RPGs out there, gaining traction on social media or even Kickstarter, with extremely narrow scopes. Eg.: "in this game, you are an internet blogger coping with a natural disaster in another part of the world and you have run out of Ramen noodles; the players are this character's arms, legs, brain and emotions as she leaves her cozy apartment to walk down the street to the corner shop."
My feeling is that a lot of the narrower storygames aren't not meant to be played (although certainly much RPG material is created with readers moreso than play itself in mind) as not meant to be played more than once - in a one-shot in a con, most likely.

And insofar as the scene valorized producing one's own RPG, you can see how there was an incentive to produce games like this - you can play a lot more one-shots than you can campaigns, almost by definition! And if it's only going to get played once, you can just laser-focus on telling one very specific kind of scenario, rather than general recurring adventures in some fictional world like trad RPGs go for.

(As noted in another thread, the OSR scene also loves to churn out "new" games, but there the games are similar enough that you can convert between them with relatively little effort, which leads to/is produced by a very different dynamic.)
 
The game we all wanted but never knew it... sorta: Zoolander: the RPG

Sorta.

MODELS

“Models are the only other kind of person, other than diplomats, who don’t have to worry about getting access to foreign nations.” – Agent 080

This is a game about international super models who have also been enlisted to become M.O.D.E.L.S. – Military Operations, Defense, and Emergency Liaison Specialists – in the service of The Agency, a worldwide secret organization. Set in a fictional version of our own modern world, players portray these M.O.D.E.L.S. who use their specialized skills, universal passports, and fashionable super science technology to protect the world from itself. Handling missions all around the globe, the M.O.D.E.L.S. will engage in various espionage missions that combine the thrilling tradecraft drama of spy stories with irreverent humor and stylish over-the-top action.

While you are more than welcome to play this game with your own rules or setting in mind, the System section contains more information on the game mechanics. The Character section contains information on the Specialty Sheets. The Dossier section has the information meant for players to work with. And the Conspiracy section contains information, tools, tips, and even optional rules for the GM. Finally, the Mixed Signals has a lot of sources and suggestions that can be used to make your games more interesting.
 
F**k Around and Find Out (Bundle)

A collection of PtBA micro rpgs that address the core of the rpg experience: "Screw around with the unknown and get in over your head!"

These games are simple to learn and fun to master.
Quickly run games based on movies or TV shows.
Perfect for new GMs or Players.
It's a good distraction between campaigns and a great party game.
Simple way to get into the narrative gaming movement.
Character Creation takes seconds and can fit on an index card.

Fantasy_Ranger_Character_Card.gif


Gameplay is fast-paced and fun!

This bundle includes the entire family of games: Complete versions of FAFO Fantasy, FAFO Cyberpunk, FAFO In Space and the MAFO Universal System (a family friendly variant). This bundle also contains early development access to FAFO Supernatural, FAFO Magicians and FAFO Heroes and the Universal GM Guide and will be updated with the finished products when complete.

IIRC, PbtA has quite a few fans on the site or folks that were interest/Apocalypse-curious that I thought this might be of interest too. A 6.66 its not a huge investment and sounds like a good starter or just a fun way to kill some times with pick up games between the sessions in an ongoing 'serious' campaign.
 
The modal average human has two arms, two legs, two eyes, two ears, two hands, one nose, one mouth, eight fingers, two thumbs, ten toes, some genetalia, etc. We can fairly describe someone with that as "one human", quantitatively.

So the hastening comes down to you and your best friend, and your two favourite swords. You don't want to kill each other, but there must be Less Than Two, so instead you and your friend play some sort of game - rock / paper / scissors, because why not - and the loser loses a finger. Now they have less than the modal average, so are effectively quantitatively less than one human, the prophecy is kept, and you and your mate get to live happily ever after.

I would HAPPILY lose a finger for any of you weirdos.
 
I'm waiting for the game titled More Than One but Less than Two, a game of partially immortal swordsmen.

Have you heard of the L5R module called "4.7 Ronin"?

The players play the roles 5 samurais, one of whom was an amputee, who must infiltrate the castle of the villain who had caused the death of their masters and avenge him.
 
F**k Around and Find Out (Bundle)

A collection of PtBA micro rpgs that address the core of the rpg experience: "Screw around with the unknown and get in over your head!"

These games are simple to learn and fun to master.
Quickly run games based on movies or TV shows.
Perfect for new GMs or Players.
It's a good distraction between campaigns and a great party game.
Simple way to get into the narrative gaming movement.
Character Creation takes seconds and can fit on an index card.

Fantasy_Ranger_Character_Card.gif


Gameplay is fast-paced and fun!

This bundle includes the entire family of games: Complete versions of FAFO Fantasy, FAFO Cyberpunk, FAFO In Space and the MAFO Universal System (a family friendly variant). This bundle also contains early development access to FAFO Supernatural, FAFO Magicians and FAFO Heroes and the Universal GM Guide and will be updated with the finished products when complete.

IIRC, PbtA has quite a few fans on the site or folks that were interest/Apocalypse-curious that I thought this might be of interest too. A 6.66 its not a huge investment and sounds like a good starter or just a fun way to kill some times with pick up games between the sessions in an ongoing 'serious' campaign.
Yeah, I picked the bundle up. It's cheap, and the system is just as it says on the tin.
 
you know, back in the day, when there was the officially licensed CCG for the Highlander TV show, the company that produced the card game DID have an RPG in the works. The makers were at a con in my city, and they talked about the RPG. unfortunately the CCG was all but required for combat.

It has been close to 20+ years, but from what I remember the unofficial Highlander game for the WoD was better thought out.
 
At least we can experience it in movie form, if not game form.


Back in the 90s when I saw it the English version was titled “Crippled Masters.” Did they change the title to ride Disney’s coattails.

I...may also be able to point you to an RPG module with characters inspired by it.
 
Which was a translation of the portugese version Imortal - only the original was superior as it had the backstory
Superior if you could read it, I suppose. For me, that's a definite obstacle...
 
Here is a Waterworld based RPG called Wyld Sea.

"No one knows how many generations have passed since the world that was sank beneath the waves of the Wyld Sea. Those who remain have grown up on one of the ancient vessels that remain seaworthy or on the atolls, artificial islands cobbled together from bits and chunks of floating debris.

All your life you've gazed at the horizon of endless water, wondering what you might find beyond it. You've heard the stories of lost cities rising from the ocean floor, of floating metal dwellings that still contain the relics of a lost civilization, of merfolk who cross the world in their submersible vessels.

And then there's the greatest legend of them all: dry land.

Could it be out there somewhere beyond the horizon?

It's time you found out for yourself."
Screen Shot 2021-06-27 at 3.22.16 PM.png
 
Here is a Waterworld based RPG called Wyld Sea.

"No one knows how many generations have passed since the world that was sank beneath the waves of the Wyld Sea. Those who remain have grown up on one of the ancient vessels that remain seaworthy or on the atolls, artificial islands cobbled together from bits and chunks of floating debris.

All your life you've gazed at the horizon of endless water, wondering what you might find beyond it. You've heard the stories of lost cities rising from the ocean floor, of floating metal dwellings that still contain the relics of a lost civilization, of merfolk who cross the world in their submersible vessels.

And then there's the greatest legend of them all: dry land.

Could it be out there somewhere beyond the horizon?

It's time you found out for yourself."
View attachment 32400
So the question is: how does it keep track of rations and fresh water:thumbsup:?
 


"Lowlife 2090
is a d20 based tabletop RPG of Cyberpunk & Sorcery set in 2090.
It combines fierce combat, dangerous magic, flexible PC customisation, and fast, integrated hacking in one tidy tome.
Includes the Mendoza City setting (60+ pages, City Map, 20 Districts, Factions, etc - a labyrinthine Vertacity packed with 25 million nellers, surrounded by post apoc badlands), but is also easily adapted to your favourite dystopian sprawl. "

Produced by "Pickpocket Press", which I consider extremely appropriate.

JG
 
I kinda doubt those two lines can be true simultaneously:thumbsup:.

Depends on how broadly they're using "D20 based". Technically Mutants and Masterminds 3e is D20 based (in that its derived via a long path from D&D 3e) but its gone far enough afield it doesn't look much like it except in the most cursory way.
 
Depends on how broadly they're using "D20 based". Technically Mutants and Masterminds 3e is D20 based (in that its derived via a long path from D&D 3e) but its gone far enough afield it doesn't look much like it except in the most cursory way.
I haven't read this yet, but I'm sure they're going with 5e mechanics just for familiarity's sake.

JG
 
Depends on how broadly they're using "D20 based". Technically Mutants and Masterminds 3e is D20 based (in that its derived via a long path from D&D 3e) but its gone far enough afield it doesn't look much like it except in the most cursory way.
Technically true, that...:thumbsup:

I haven't read this yet, but I'm sure they're going with 5e mechanics just for familiarity's sake.

JG
But here my doubts are renewed:grin:!
 
Banner: The best cosmic horror & Cthulhu Mythos @ DriveThruRPG.com
Back
Top