Yesterday was our first test on the system and we had blast.
The campaign is an old one with strong timetravel theme which enables us smoothly change system on the fly and keep characters base the same. I ran it with only two players. Two players makes influence a bit hard at first, but it got better – expecially after we introduced NPC Johnny Rival as a Rival 🙂 We tested three Books, Bull and Janus first and then Legacy and Janus. Bull was more focused on influence so the Colossus player jumped from Bull to Legacy after our break and will stay with that in future. He loved Bull but to test stuff we thought Legacy was more like the Characters earlier.
We played from 15:30 to 18:00 the first part and 18:30 to 23:30 the latter. Characters were done beforehand and took 15-30 minutes. Janus player had a bit thought between Janus and Beacon. They told me that each playbool was interesting and playable. After the game they made a comment that they would like each book to have one move more for a variation, the number was close but one more would open more focused ones expecially.
Team pool was awesome addition to AW games. We added two more; Resources and Time as our campaign needed those. Generally I like to add pools to help characters to be awesome.
Players loved the way that the game made them feel like Teen Heroes. Moving Labels was awesome, they also liked Consequences – the order should be the same as Labels in they mind as the moves the penalties apply needed to be fast to remember. They also felt that labels were much better than the stats in some other games. Janus player likes to have points to help stuff out after roll – to push things – which made him love the Holds he got from his move.
I had a bit broblem to psychic stress as attack. I gave consequence as GM move twice. Twice I didn’t know if the character should take one so I used Defend and Take Powerful Blow as mental. I think I need a Hold Your Cool like move – but I do need to get better hold on the system. Also I think I ended up using Freak as basically a Gaze Into Darkness / Assess situation as we had Time Ghost Reflections. Dont know if I’m saying that there is need to have few more basic moves.
I like potential and players like to mark it. We generally advance characters in same speed – not a big deal but a way we do these. I will give out advance for next game and think if we need to playbook ultimate trigger by potential or no.
The game feels really good as it is now. Additional stuff help expand options and I’m excited to get a copy from Kickstarter when it goes live.
Few additional notes from one of my players. The way Conditions come and go really helped to keep things fast and dynamic. Investigation was bit hard and tended to explode into action. Might need something to support Robin like character brainstorming a plan or the like frankly.
Player felt that the growth to real superhero was written into Beacon only – which is a bit strange as Legacy in my mind is that straight on – will need to ask how he read stuff.
Players were a bit torn on the situation where label would rise over +3 and the character gains a condition. One liked and the other was a bit anxious on Legacy being Savior and getting condition when another told him that Legacy was Savior. In game both loved the thing when it happened though. I think for this there needs to be a quick explanation, for each label.
Thanks, tomi sarkkinen. Great feedback. I know that Brendan Conway really appreciates this stuff.