Lessa
Legendary Pubber
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- Aug 13, 2018
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Seconded. CP2020 has "fighting the Man" as a strong core element although many ignore that aspect. I ran CP2020 for years and a large minority of my players desired that experience. Dystopian or grim dark settings can be an excellent challenge for players who want to make the world a better place. It's easy to be good when mainstream society has your back; when the deck is heavily stacked against you, success is more rewarding and meaningful.Or Cyberpunk 2020 or Interface Zero.
Hooding in Shadowrun parlance is fighting the Man. Environmental activism, helping the poor, protecting your 'hood, etc.
One of my groups is interested in exploring that. What games are good for it?
I haven't played Spire but I have played Heart, which uses the same underlying system; it's Apocalypse Engine roots are pretty clear, but the system works well for ensuring the characters are constantly in dangerous situations. I like it, but it's not going to win anyone over to that family of games.Hooding in Shadowrun parlance is fighting the Man. Environmental activism, helping the poor, protecting your 'hood, etc.
One of my groups is interested in exploring that. What games are good for it?
P.S: The Spire does it, but I never played it. Does it flow well in play?
Hunter: The Vigil has 'Block By Bloody Block', which is all about protecting your neighborhood from monsters of various sorts, human and otherwise.
I read Spire and didn't realize it was an Apocalypse Engine thing. There are a few bits that felt 'loosey goosey' to me but overall I thought it looked pretty solid, and playable for someone like me that has NOT enjoyed various attempts at playing other PBTA games.I haven't played Spire but I have played Heart, which uses the same underlying system; it's Apocalypse Engine roots are pretty clear, but the system works well for ensuring the characters are constantly in dangerous situations. I like it, but it's not going to win anyone over to that family of games.
It's obviously not using the Apocalypse Engine, but I thought a lot of the design - the playbooks, the "everything at a cost" resolution mechanic, the way moves work - showed heavy influence from that family of games, along with other rules-light stuff like Cthulhu Dark.I read Spire and didn't realize it was an Apocalypse Engine thing. There are a few bits that felt 'loosey goosey' to me but overall I thought it looked pretty solid, and playable for someone like me that has NOT enjoyed various attempts at playing other PBTA games.
Makes me wonder if I might get along better with Blades In The Dark than I'd assumed... the setting sure does appeal to me.
Blades in the Dark kinda touches on this sort of thing, if you want to direct your crew in that way. From the example stuff I've seen for A|State 2e, it's going to double down on the "community" side of the setting concept
Looks great. The the "group can change a neighbourhood parameter (say, reduce violence) but another one is adjusted (say, basic income)" sounds very good. How is the basic system like ?Underground was pretty much specifically about Hooding and had rules for it.
Heard of it today as a suggestion in a whatsapp group. Can you talk about it more? Is it PbtA? If so, how does it differs from the norm?If you don't mind heading in the storygames direction (can't remember off the top of my head whether that's your thing or not) Comrades is the obvious choice.
The thing with Shadowrun (and I believe, CP2020) is that they cite this mode of play in the books but don't give much tools in order to organize play around the theme. Things like Heat tracking, Corp Awareness Level to your group, safehouses consipicuity level (does this term exist?), relation to other agents like gangs and crime etc. would be useful. See Blades in the Dark for one example.Seconded. CP2020 has "fighting the Man" as a strong core element although many ignore that aspect. I ran CP2020 for years and a large minority of my players desired that experience. Dystopian or grim dark settings can be an excellent challenge for players who want to make the world a better place. It's easy to be good when mainstream society has your back; when the deck is heavily stacked against you, success is more rewarding and meaningful.
Never heard of this. If it's Leverage-related I'm immediately grabbed, as I'm a fan of Cortex Plus/Prime.I would go Cyberblues City because it suits me. To be honest it doesn't really provide any direct support for hooding. I wrote it because I wanted to run a Leverage with more guns and sci-fi, but left loose so that people could play it anyway they wanted.
Sounds good. Care to talk more about it? Vigil is probably my favorite line of that edition of WoD.Hunter: The Vigil has 'Block By Bloody Block', which is all about protecting your neighborhood from monsters of various sorts, human and otherwise.
Yep, I've heard Spire is PbtA-inspired, but how does it flow in play? Mutant Y0 is also PbtA-inspired but the way it runs at the table didn't pleased our group much (I don't dislike MY0, mind you, just thought some parts could flow better). And I've also read in some online review that The Spire is indeed clunky in some parts, so you have that (sorry if I can't give more details, I would have to re-read that review).I haven't played Spire but I have played Heart, which uses the same underlying system; it's Apocalypse Engine roots are pretty clear, but the system works well for ensuring the characters are constantly in dangerous situations. I like it, but it's not going to win anyone over to that family of games.
Underground is based on the same system as DC Heroes, if you know of that.Looks great. The the "group can change a neighbourhood parameter (say, reduce violence) but another one is adjusted (say, basic income)" sounds very good. How is the basic system like ?
...just one question: have you checked the "fixer's handbook" and "cop handbook" for CP2020?The thing with Shadowrun (and I believe, CP2020) is that they cite this mode of play in the books but don't give much tools in order to organize play around the theme. Things like Heat tracking, Corp Awareness Level to your group, safehouses consipicuity level (does this term exist?), relation to other agents like gangs and crime etc. would be useful. See Blades in the Dark for one example.
But I could be mistaken, of course. Are there rules and tools for that somewhere I haven't seen in CP2020 or Shadowrun?
Ah yes, Sigmata. One of the few "wink-wink-nudge-nudge" games that I feel should be banned at the Pub under the "no politics" rule.Sigmata: This Signal Kills Fascists: It's set in an alternate reality dystopic U.S. in the 80's. Very dystopic, sometimes simply doing horrible things to people Ex: JUST questioning people with no evidence to a creepy extent to make them afraid and turn others against each other by the illusion of "they've done something wrong."
Radio gives the characters superpowers so the closer one is to the signal, the more powerful they are (of course the Signal is a rebel act of itself.)
The PDF is pay what you want on DriveThru. However, I highly suggest getting the companion as well since it adds some additional improvements/options.
Seconded. CP2020 has "fighting the Man" as a strong core element although many ignore that aspect. I ran CP2020 for years and a large minority of my players desired that experience. Dystopian or grim dark settings can be an excellent challenge for players who want to make the world a better place. It's easy to be good when mainstream society has your back; when the deck is heavily stacked against you, success is more rewarding and meaningful.
Ah yes, Sigmata. One of the few "wink-wink-nudge-nudge" games that I feel should be banned at the Pub under the "no politics" rule.
I remember the Blades in the Dark Kickstarter promised a module about freedom fighters fighting the Emperor, but apparently it never happened. A pity, as I think the game gives an awesome framework for that.
Heard of it today as a suggestion in a whatsapp group. Can you talk about it more? Is it PbtA? If so, how does it differs from the norm?
One of the few times in my short time here that I disagree with you. It's a great game even if you don't like its politics. Just don't discuss the political aspects if there's no politics
I'm glad we mostly agree, chuckdee though I'm sure we're going to disagree many more times!Or even better, Cybergeneration.
One of the few times in my short time here that I disagree with you. It's a great game even if you don't like its politics. Just don't discuss the political aspects if there's no politics
Sigmata doesn't even pretend to hide it's political leanings. It's not thinly-veiled, there's no veil at all. I don't think anyone is going to pick it up by accident without knowing exactly what they're buying.Anyway, to me that's a thinly veiled attempt at popularizing a particular political cred under the form of a game. I've found it unpalatable, but the OP is free to see for himself.
Sigmata doesn't even pretend to hide it's political leanings. It's not thinly-veiled, there's no veil at all. I don't think anyone is going to pick it up by accident without knowing exactly what they're buying.
Yeah, "thinly veiled" was actually me attempting to be polite.Sigmata doesn't even pretend to hide it's political leanings. It's not thinly-veiled, there's no veil at all. I don't think anyone is going to pick it up by accident without knowing exactly what they're buying.
Ironically on that score the designer of Stigmata has been attacked by some for making the game too moderate or 'counter-revolutionary.' Similar to Comrades its politics are not as simple-minded as a cursory look may suggest.
My issue with the game is more its convoluted Watchmen-ish sf background and premise which just didn't grab me.
And of course neither game is hiding its intentions, as a PbtA game Comrades states its intentions right there in the Premise for GMs and players!
It was certainly a hit with the (generally pretty trad) group I played it with. Thing with Blades is it's easy to run it more or less as a trad RPG depending on your tastes. Purists will scoff, but fuck 'em.I read Spire and didn't realize it was an Apocalypse Engine thing. There are a few bits that felt 'loosey goosey' to me but overall I thought it looked pretty solid, and playable for someone like me that has NOT enjoyed various attempts at playing other PBTA games.
Makes me wonder if I might get along better with Blades In The Dark than I'd assumed... the setting sure does appeal to me.
Yeah, we probably shouldn't discuss its politics in detail (although I'll not Dan Davenport did a full interview which didn't go into the politics at all). I just think banning the discussion of any game entirely is getting overly paranoid.
You'll notice that I didn't start a thread about banning it, though - simply said that I feel it should be avoided on this forum. I'm just less and less inclined to be charitable to games with a strong political agenda, because reasons...Yeah, we probably shouldn't discuss its politics in detail (although I'll not Dan Davenport did a full interview which didn't go into the politics at all). I just think banning the discussion of any game entirely is getting overly paranoid.
Think carefully, they might be waiting for exactly this reaction!It was certainly a hit with the (generally pretty trad) group I played it with. Thing with Blades is it's easy to run it more or less as a trad RPG depending on your tastes. Purists will scoff, but fuck 'em.
And I think as respectful citizens of the Pub, this shouldn't be too high a bar to vault.
After this suggestion, I expect the next idea to be for adapting either Kult, Black Tokyo or Big Breast Small Waist!In Nomine. Can deep dive that 'hooding' from any direction, and twist the knife with shades of grey ramifications, too. How far down the rabbit hole you wanna go?
After this suggestion, I expect the next idea to be for adapting either Kult, Black Tokyo or Big Breast Small Waist!
Maid?After this suggestion, I expect the next idea to be for adapting either Kult, Black Tokyo or Big Breast Small Waist!
Yeah, it wouldn't do to go for it all at once!I was thinking "Macho Women with Guns" or "S.P.A.N.C.s, Space Pirate Amazon Ninja Cats," but you gotta ease people into the deep water slowly...
I mean, you could, but that doesn't even hold a candle to the above. Yes, I've got it.Maid?
Nope, don't know those. Would they be useful for other cyberpunk games? The Sprawl is my CP game these days....just one question: have you checked the "fixer's handbook" and "cop handbook" for CP2020?
Because I'm pretty sure they're doing basically everything that you're asking for, and possibly more.
That's cool. Thanks. I'll take a look.It is PBTA and mechanically it doesn't deviate much from that core. The big innovation is probably "pathways", five scales that monitor the kind of revolution your characters are building. They're increased through "pathway moves" at the end of a session and can lead to any outcome from your characters standing for election to just bombing things indiscriminately.
The other big thing it offers is its optional setting, Kresht. It's a fictional 1905 Russia and is a lot more detailed than some PBTA settings. It would also be pretty easy to make up your own setting in any time period (I've toyed with doing a far future one but haven't tried it yet).
Interesting. I don't like Supers but then I'm usually open to genres I don't like if the mechanics are interesting (Ie: I came to enjoy Masks: a New Generation). I'll take a look at this, thanks.I'd forgotten about Hit the Streets: Defend the Block. That's a really good suggestion, and it is a great implementation of the theme. I don't like dice pool mechanics, so start out biased against the system, but the theme of the game and how he reinforces it makes me want to try it.
I got my copy of Repeat the Signal today and there's a chapter going over mistakes and things that This Signal Kills Fascists didn't make clear enough.Ironically on that score the designer of Stigmata has been attacked by some for making the game too moderate or 'counter-revolutionary.' Similar to Comrades its politics are not as simple-minded as a cursory look may suggest.