James Mullen and Tim Franzke, I would love to hear your opinion on this? In their comment they have a link that shows character creation and basic moves.
I like the way seize control is a flexible move that adapts to circumstances: that makes a lot of sense in a game where PCs have all sorts of crazy powers that can be used to the same ends.
That maybe goes a bit far with use environment, which seems a little too open-ended and undefined to be a functional move: it says what you’re doing, instead of what you’re trying to achieve, which runs counter to most other basic moves. It adds more flexibility, but it could slow the game down while players debate how to implement it on each occasion.
I really love the look of the playbooks, they beg to be played and look like they act as a clear guide to what players can do and should do in the game. Using the personality types as a basis instead of specific types of power is a unique approach and should act as strong foundation for building a team, clearly communicating the role each hero will play.
In general this seems to do a great job of emulating comic book characters.
Wow this got funded already? I’m Impressed!
James Mullen, I felt the exact same way about use environment. It’s the worst move in the bunch because of its vagueness.
Kyle Simons …. did not know if you wanted to follow this thread to add any updates on the AW G+ page?
Thanks for linking me in Tommy Rayburn So I answered a bit on the rpg.net thread, not sure if I answered it enough for you. I can see how the phrasing might throw you off, but it’s essentially the same (in how it works) as Take Down or Defy Danger – you’re choosing the stat that makes sense for the situation and going with it. It should be apparent in the fiction and what’s being said what stat you’d use and if it’s not, the player and the GM should work together to clarify the fiction. I haven’t found it slowed anything down. Do you guys think it’s the wording that’s tripping things up or is it just the lack of examples with the texts so far?
I know the Adam Koebel and Sage LaTorra get asked the most questions about Defy Danger and we not only have that move but a couple others that work similarly. I know they’ve both said that more examples would’ve been the solution for that, what do you guys think?
And, of course, thanks for your support guys. It’s very appreciated – taking the time to engage is also great. Rest assured, I love talking design and won’t be bothered by any number of questions!
Defy Danger is worded much more tightly though…
But I also love to talk shop.
Kyle Simons You may want to ask Adam Koebel and Sage LaTorra what they would do differently with Defy Danger after their experience with the game. This may help in not repeating the same mistakes (if they feel there is even one,)
I’d be interested to know what conditions do and what the power difficulties do.
To be clear, I don’t think there’s a problem with the move – just that some people don’t grok it so it’s my understanding they wished they’d added more example text for it.
Power difficulties are first and foremost a way of establishing how difficult it is (obviously) so it might take time or require other things to be going on and is fictional consideration. Second, as per what you have on your Powers Profile, it determines consequences when you try to do new things with your powers at varying levels of difficulty (See the Push, Burnout move).
Damage is represented mechanically in the game as Conditions, which you can think of as fictional considerations that have mechanical weight behind them. There are three different kinds of Conditions: Minor, are Conditions that represent situations in the fiction where the character has to first deal with that Condition or face more dire consequences or the Condition becoming more serious and moving Moderate. Moderate, which make it harder for a character to perform certain actions, whether it is because of already sustained injuries or other factors at work in the fiction. Finally, there are Critical Conditions, which show serious harm being done to the character which makes it harder for the character to succeed at anything at all and will eventually kill a player character.
Minor Conditions are used to show a hard choice being put to the character. The character must first deal with the Condition or must make the Defy Danger move in order to do anything else. Failing the Defy Danger move might mean a Moderate or Critical Condition or something else entirely that suits the fiction, with or without the mechanical weight of a Condition to back it up.
Moderate Conditions impose -1 ongoing to certain actions until dealt they are dealt with. If my character has the Moderate Condition “dislocated shoulder”, it would not hinder their ability to shoot laser beams from their eyes, so I would not have a penalty to do that. However, if they wanted to smash someone in the face, they would definitely be taking a -1 in the doing.
Cirtical Conditions (max 4):
1) Debility (-1 to a stat)
2) -1 ongoing to all moves
3) -2 ongoing to all moves
4) Make the Last Chance move. (If you fail you may die)
Seems like minor might be worse then moderate…
When i would create a power completely 100% against character! like Spidey shooting laser sharks, that would be impossible difficulty by default right?
I agree Tim, a possible -1 is less of an effect than hard moves against me.
I still feel you should reach out to Adam and Sage, as they may have ideas on what they would do to the moves now that would be different.
Minor Conditions are minor because they are easily dealt with. You only make a Defy Danger move if you act in spite of it.
Moderate Conditions are a bit more serious because they impose a penalty and because they can stack. 1 isn’t too bad, 2 is rough, 3 or more quickly makes things pretty tough.
Tim Franzke I don’t understand the thing about powers you’re saying there? The Impossible section is to show what’s beyond a character’s ability but within their wheel house. You establish what your powers are and then fill in the Powers Profile right, not the other way around. Then your Profile grows as you do more with them. The Powers Profile doesn’t dictate what your powers are, just what you can do with them at current in the fiction. There are a couple things you can do with the impossible level – you can set a bit of ceiling for yourself, so that you have some idea of boundaries for your powers. Or you can hint at things to come if you should break through that ceiling. (Check out my example Spider-Man for example, or Superman. Both Impossible things for them are things they’ve done, but are Impossible for them currently.)
Tommy Rayburn Adam and Sage have seen the first drafts of WiP, they’ve known about it since we started on it over a year ago. Jonathan Walton is doing the dev editing on it and once it goes through him the draft in its entirely is going to made available so people can start playing with and seeing how the mechanics work.
I bumped up my pledge level
I backed.
Me, too.
James Mullen and Tim Franzke, I would love to hear your opinion on this? In their comment they have a link that shows character creation and basic moves.
I like the way seize control is a flexible move that adapts to circumstances: that makes a lot of sense in a game where PCs have all sorts of crazy powers that can be used to the same ends.
That maybe goes a bit far with use environment, which seems a little too open-ended and undefined to be a functional move: it says what you’re doing, instead of what you’re trying to achieve, which runs counter to most other basic moves. It adds more flexibility, but it could slow the game down while players debate how to implement it on each occasion.
I really love the look of the playbooks, they beg to be played and look like they act as a clear guide to what players can do and should do in the game. Using the personality types as a basis instead of specific types of power is a unique approach and should act as strong foundation for building a team, clearly communicating the role each hero will play.
In general this seems to do a great job of emulating comic book characters.
Wow this got funded already? I’m Impressed!
James Mullen, I felt the exact same way about use environment. It’s the worst move in the bunch because of its vagueness.
Kyle Simons …. did not know if you wanted to follow this thread to add any updates on the AW G+ page?
Thanks for linking me in Tommy Rayburn So I answered a bit on the rpg.net thread, not sure if I answered it enough for you. I can see how the phrasing might throw you off, but it’s essentially the same (in how it works) as Take Down or Defy Danger – you’re choosing the stat that makes sense for the situation and going with it. It should be apparent in the fiction and what’s being said what stat you’d use and if it’s not, the player and the GM should work together to clarify the fiction. I haven’t found it slowed anything down. Do you guys think it’s the wording that’s tripping things up or is it just the lack of examples with the texts so far?
I know the Adam Koebel and Sage LaTorra get asked the most questions about Defy Danger and we not only have that move but a couple others that work similarly. I know they’ve both said that more examples would’ve been the solution for that, what do you guys think?
And, of course, thanks for your support guys. It’s very appreciated – taking the time to engage is also great. Rest assured, I love talking design and won’t be bothered by any number of questions!
Defy Danger is worded much more tightly though…
But I also love to talk shop.
Kyle Simons You may want to ask Adam Koebel and Sage LaTorra what they would do differently with Defy Danger after their experience with the game. This may help in not repeating the same mistakes (if they feel there is even one,)
I’d be interested to know what conditions do and what the power difficulties do.
To be clear, I don’t think there’s a problem with the move – just that some people don’t grok it so it’s my understanding they wished they’d added more example text for it.
Power difficulties are first and foremost a way of establishing how difficult it is (obviously) so it might take time or require other things to be going on and is fictional consideration. Second, as per what you have on your Powers Profile, it determines consequences when you try to do new things with your powers at varying levels of difficulty (See the Push, Burnout move).
Damage is represented mechanically in the game as Conditions, which you can think of as fictional considerations that have mechanical weight behind them. There are three different kinds of Conditions: Minor, are Conditions that represent situations in the fiction where the character has to first deal with that Condition or face more dire consequences or the Condition becoming more serious and moving Moderate. Moderate, which make it harder for a character to perform certain actions, whether it is because of already sustained injuries or other factors at work in the fiction. Finally, there are Critical Conditions, which show serious harm being done to the character which makes it harder for the character to succeed at anything at all and will eventually kill a player character.
Minor Conditions are used to show a hard choice being put to the character. The character must first deal with the Condition or must make the Defy Danger move in order to do anything else. Failing the Defy Danger move might mean a Moderate or Critical Condition or something else entirely that suits the fiction, with or without the mechanical weight of a Condition to back it up.
Moderate Conditions impose -1 ongoing to certain actions until dealt they are dealt with. If my character has the Moderate Condition “dislocated shoulder”, it would not hinder their ability to shoot laser beams from their eyes, so I would not have a penalty to do that. However, if they wanted to smash someone in the face, they would definitely be taking a -1 in the doing.
Cirtical Conditions (max 4):
1) Debility (-1 to a stat)
2) -1 ongoing to all moves
3) -2 ongoing to all moves
4) Make the Last Chance move. (If you fail you may die)
Seems like minor might be worse then moderate…
When i would create a power completely 100% against character! like Spidey shooting laser sharks, that would be impossible difficulty by default right?
I agree Tim, a possible -1 is less of an effect than hard moves against me.
I still feel you should reach out to Adam and Sage, as they may have ideas on what they would do to the moves now that would be different.
Minor Conditions are minor because they are easily dealt with. You only make a Defy Danger move if you act in spite of it.
Moderate Conditions are a bit more serious because they impose a penalty and because they can stack. 1 isn’t too bad, 2 is rough, 3 or more quickly makes things pretty tough.
Tim Franzke I don’t understand the thing about powers you’re saying there? The Impossible section is to show what’s beyond a character’s ability but within their wheel house. You establish what your powers are and then fill in the Powers Profile right, not the other way around. Then your Profile grows as you do more with them. The Powers Profile doesn’t dictate what your powers are, just what you can do with them at current in the fiction. There are a couple things you can do with the impossible level – you can set a bit of ceiling for yourself, so that you have some idea of boundaries for your powers. Or you can hint at things to come if you should break through that ceiling. (Check out my example Spider-Man for example, or Superman. Both Impossible things for them are things they’ve done, but are Impossible for them currently.)
Tommy Rayburn Adam and Sage have seen the first drafts of WiP, they’ve known about it since we started on it over a year ago. Jonathan Walton is doing the dev editing on it and once it goes through him the draft in its entirely is going to made available so people can start playing with and seeing how the mechanics work.