Hey everyone, so if you haven’t heard, Masks is blowing up on kickstarter right now. I’m contributing a stretch goal if they reach 30k having to do with an evil corporation, a fountain-of-youth-drug and their connection to the villain named the Chrysalis and his Molt Men!
Here’s a bit about the game that Stras Acimovic wrote awhile back on his wall. It sums up the game pretty nicely I think and should help people in determining if it’s a game they want to check out:
What is it?
It’s a PbtA Young Superheroes game. If you like shows like Teen Titans (the original one, with the Puffy AmiYumi opening) or Young Justice (I am a huge fan) then this might be up your alley. It’s all about struggling with identity, dealing with issues outside of being super, and troubles with being a team.
What’s cool about this game?
● New Tech. In most PbtA hacks there’s usually one piece of new tech that’s magic or really compelling. Masks comes with a half dozen (although to be fair a number of them are kind of brilliant fixes to old tech like Conditions). Some are things I’m shocked I haven’t seen before (like playbook tied GM moves). Good stuff.
● Identity and Self Perception. Stat’s are fluid because they represent how you see yourself. Eventually as you learn who you are, and as you reject how others see you – you can lock these in place. But it’s a really interesting mechanic that also shapes discussion about who you are. If you want to see a character change in more ways than just gaining powers this is a really interesting take.
● Supers but not Superman. There’s a great variance between Adult moves and the ones you start with. These are not well polished heroes that have everything figured out. By the time you are that … you advance (and become a superhero in your own right and leaving the game) which is great. It creates for drama, tension, lots of teen angst.
● Teamwork. I love how they took assist mechanics and made it a core conceit that really ties to the whole ‘figuring out how to work together’ thing. I am a fan.
● Holy Heck Conditions. So there are no hit points. But if a villain decks you you may get angry. What’s awesome about these is not just that they provide mechanical interface with how you play (when you’re angry you’re less likely to connect with someone, or try to understand them) but they have specific ways to get removed (blow off steam! act out! Get in a fight with someone making things just worse. But then you’re not angry but they may be … whoops). I’ve seen conditions in other games (say BW) but this is a really stellar take on them that hooks hard into fiction and makes a lot of sense with how you get it and how you get rid of it. Really cool stuff.
● Art. Ok this is at the bottom (and really it shouldn’t be) but they got one amazing webcomic artist to do the art for the playbooks. It looks absolutely incredible (I’m iffy on the color scheme for the Beacon, but that’s the worst complaint I have). That Bull playbook pic though folks. So great.
What might you not like about it?
● If you’re looking for a superhero simulation – this isn’t it. It’s really about teen drama, and dealing with pressures placed on young shoulders. If you just want to have a shiny smile and uphold virtue and punch bad guys … maybe not exactly what you’re looking for.
● It’s narrow band young supers. It’s not generic supers. It’s not about villain punching (although that will happen for sure). You may not be able to create an accurate power depiction of whatever hero you want.
● Maybe you just don’t think heroes are awesome and superheroics are not your jam.
● You strive to stop being a teen hero and develop your own identity (winning is retiring – you stop being a young hero and become a big name in the supers society). Maybe that’s not your cup of tea.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1277034820/masks-a-new-generation?ref=home_social
Sounds interesting. Wish it was coming during a surplus month rather than a short month.
I would love to work with Magpie Games or such on developing my stuck-in-the-MMO PbtA game.
I don’t have the resources for the art a video game inspired concept should have, and arranging playtests is difficult from my current timeline.
Wouldn’t know how to begin to set that up though and I am, admittedly, a poorly socialized fool.
Mark Diaz Truman is probably the guy to talk to. It doesn’t sound like something you’d handle over google plus though. You could contact them through their page (http://www.magpiegames.com/contact-us/), send them an email, or you could try sending Mark a private message on google plus, too. Not sure how he works.
Most companies don’t take unsolicited ideas, I’ve found. But maybe.
Sure, I have no idea what Mark’s policies are, but you’ll never know if you don’t ask. You could always design out in the open in the Apocalypse World community, or on a forum, or just by posting on google while playtesting.
I’ve got a playtest packet on drivethru right now.
Can’t wait to see more of your work, Kyle Simons.
Indeed. WiP was excellent.
The premise of Masks is such that it could lead right into WiP.
Seems this is the best place to ask about differences between Worlds in Peril and Masks, specially since i note you are writing a stretch goal for Masks, Kyle Simons 😉
Oscar Iglesias Thematically and mechanically, Masks is all about playing a young super and figuring out your characters place in the world, which will be constantly shifting. There’s some really neat ideas in there, if you check out the “what’s cool about this game” section in the post, you’ll get some idea. Everything is really about showing how you grow up and come into your own. I really like MC moves that are specific to each playbook, how stats are fluid and match up with your identity, and everything is really in-keeping with a series like Young Justice, for example.
I think Worlds in Peril is really more about simulating four-color supers and while it still handles interpersonal and personal conflict well via Bonds and Drives, if you want to play a young supers-style story then that’s only one little part of a much bigger number of possibilities in Worlds in Peril. Masks is focused so it’s really tight, direct, and everything goes to reinforcing that. On the other hand, Worlds in Peril is meant to handle all kinds of four-color super stuff and there’s way more customization because that particular focus is not there. You can simulate any powers you want and most personal stories with Drives, but you have to put more work into it because of all the choices. It’s not a pick-up-and-play game without pregens really, whereas Masks really is. You may not get the powers you want, and be rewarded for following the personal arc you set forth with Drives, but you’ll learn a lot about your character as you go in Masks and the game will always be making you think about your identity and who you are becoming and you’ll get everything you want and more out of it if you’re looking for the themes and playstyle that comes with young supers.
Hope that helps!
Sure!!
I only got a glimpse on the beta docs, but i prefer to ask directly when chance happens.
Thx Kyle Simons .
No problem!
Whoah, hit 30k already. This thing is an unstoppable juggernaut!
Sigh. Any month but October.
So my thoughts between the two systems are that I’d probably run Masks with people who are newer to RPGs, or for lighthearted games. I’d run WiP for a story that emulated Arrow, since I love the bond system.