Author: Graham Spearing

Episode 4 tonight of The Perseus Expansion.

Episode 4 tonight of The Perseus Expansion.

Episode 4 tonight of The Perseus Expansion. One of my players requested a Hot shot piloting skill as part of their starfarer career. I didn’t see any problem in adding in new skills as campaign customisations so had a shot at one. I had a quick peak at Inverse World and created something Move like.

Let me know what you think?

Ace Pilot

When you perform a daring feat of piloting skill, roll +Mettle. On a 10+, choose three. On a 7-9, choose two:

You end up where you wanted and with considerable style

You evade a pursuer, getting out of their sights

You trick a pursuer into hitting something, or ram into something in your way – deal their own highest starship weapon damage on themselves

Your lighting manoeuvres act as a ‘Get involved’ to reduce incoming damage by one level

Your precision piloting acts as a ‘Get involved’ assist to a Navigation skill

Perseus Expansion – Episode 3

Perseus Expansion – Episode 3

Perseus Expansion – Episode 3

This was the heist. With Tyrrell and, slightly hilariously, the large alien Gorm, operating as new Trojan Securities guards working on the inside and Dr Krieger working on the outside breaking down the security computer systems, more and more was uncovered about the way the security works. 

Meanwhile Nadia Wike and associates (who are they?) are working their own scam to get access to the goods in the vault. And Near Dark Security are working their way through leads to track down the characters. 

We also had two pieces of system news that may or may not be a part of the game focus.

A Starfreight Logistics chartered Galaxy Liner is due inbound to Near Dark in two Terradays. Galaxy Liners are noted for their size and opulence, offering the ultimate star cruise experience. This is the first time such a ship has visited the Near Dark system, creating considerable speculation as to the purpose of the stop over. The Local Business Federation is working overtime to ready trade and goods for such a momentous occasion.

Edrikson Relay Engineers have reported that the intermittently faulty relay sensor at the outer system Jump Point has now been repaired and is fully online. The full repair report was not made available, having been transferred to the NDA sensitive list. News 23 can report that the team has been operating at the Jump Point for more than two weeks and that ESU navy assets were reported to be operating in the Jump Point area.

These messages are sponsored by HG De-contaminants – “no spore any more”

Inevitably many of these forces crunched together on the final night. Half hacked systems, discovered trojan ICE, a safehouse discovered and a firefight in the stairwell, a separate incursion through the vault roof. Two heists happening at the same time and out of their depth security guards in a crumbling facility where “nothing ever happens”. Kevan was on his last shift. He had kids. Would he survive?

The confusion aided the characters and they were in, into the vault, two items extracted rather than just the one data cube (what is this strange small heavy metallic ball?). Speeding out of the city to a starport bustling with the arrival of the liner. A quarantined ship crawling with Near Dark Security forces and one last gung ho battle before lifting off out system to … what?

3 XP and they all level up. New skills all round.

As usual the Uncharted World system sat in the background and gave us just the right moves at the right time. The system is probably too light for one of my players who dislikes the 7-9 range as a pyrrhic victory. The game works for me and it really helps move things along at a good pace.

I might have some starship combat tonight.

I might have some starship combat tonight.

I might have some starship combat tonight. Some of my players might be watching, so this could just be some elaborate April Fool…

In terms of handling ‘Threats’ (p.145). If the players open fire on a ship am I tracking the standard thee elements as threats or ‘Sections’. I’ll also be tracking any weapons as threats too.

If fire was focussed on the enemy ship and the Shields were neutralised and out of the action, then is it just a successful Open Fire to take out the Hull and destroy the enemy ship? How does the Class of the ship (especially the big ones) affect this?

Cheers,

Slightly off topic, but I’m building a new PbtA fantasy game inspired by Uncharted Worlds.

Slightly off topic, but I’m building a new PbtA fantasy game inspired by Uncharted Worlds.

Slightly off topic, but I’m building a new PbtA fantasy game inspired by Uncharted Worlds. I’m posting the game as it is built on a blog. Do drop by and encourage if you can.

http://adventuresinkalland.blogspot.co.uk/

Perseus Expansion – Episode 2

Perseus Expansion – Episode 2

Perseus Expansion – Episode 2

Dr Klaus was extremely intrigued by the propulsion systems on the city drone that hovered knowingly over the street. (Assessment 6-) He discovered that they have facial recognition scanning as he was duly bathed in a blue arcing laser light.

Kerin’s Bar, a reasonably clean joint just off the Cityplex main throughfare.

A series of encounters include the off duty city cops, a gambling terminal, and the Arcball game. Yes, Nadia was here and surely no coincidence, talking intently to another patron, a rangy youngish man with straw coloured hair and the ragged approximation of a beard. The swaying bacta dancer diverted to the thumping sound of Mass Effect.

Nadia, having concluded whatever business or pleasure she was indulging in left the bar, giving Tyrrell a knowing wink as she left. Tyrrell followed her to the rubberised flap doors that provided a warehouse like exit tot he bar. To see a number of metallic forms arrive into the lobby. Meanwhile Klaus’ picture scan appeared on the advert brake screen that had been showing the local arcball game. As Gorm tried to distract teh offduty citycops he only managed to draw their attention to the actual Klause sat in a booth not far away.

Mayhem. The metallic forms were Union light combat droids armed with pulse rifles. They burst into the bar as the city cops rise to capture Klaus. Gorm covers the back door as the group flee, along with Nadia’s contact, who turns out to be Jones. Gorm is captured by two of the droids who escort him back out into the lobby. He then struggles and a fight ensues (Launch Assault – 7 result. Success but undesirable collateral damage) Gorm takes out the two droids, bending the arm of one and throwing the other intot he lobby and splintering it. In a close quarter spray of cross fire the first droid is shot point blank in the head and the second is downed with a tight burst of fire.

Mechanically we just rolled one for the Move and then just narrated the outcome. The spray of fire probably took out an innocent bystander, but I didn’t emphasise this. So, one roll, some too and fro conversation narrating the battle and it is all resolved.]

At a safe house not far away Ferris provides details of the Cyracuse Vault, that the data box is being held in the vault, and that the complex is run down and secured by a low grade private security company, Trojan Securities. The vault itself is down a now overcrowded semi residential district, overgrown with mushrooming tenement blocks.

Further intelligence was gained, systems were hacked and the extraction begins tomorrow… (next week).

Here are few thoughts on my new PbtA GM experience:

Here are few thoughts on my new PbtA GM experience:

Here are few thoughts on my new PbtA GM experience:

I like games where I don’t have to mechanically do very much as the GM. Uncharted Worlds only has me guiding on the Moves and considering what the 6 and 7-9 range dice results might mean, what choices or consequences might follow.

Forces against the players are just a number of ‘Threats’ which, depending on them and the tools at the players’ disposal, defines what needs to be done to eradicate them.

Action is over in one, or at most a few, dice rolls. Once the threat is understood, action is described and a Move is carried out. You then simply describe what happens together based on the result.

As the game is mechanically so simple, you are just left with making things up, prompting and describing the action. There’s not much ‘game’ to fall back on, so it really is, mostly, a conversation

I went in with the sketchiest of outlines and prompted the players for details as I went. I didn’t know who had sent them to Near Dark or what they had been told they were extracting. I don’t know how they are going to find the extraction, but I will work with them to find out.

I don’t have much of a safety net and my prompts might be too ‘big’, but I’m learning. I described things as I saw them in my mind, raw and straight away.

I noted down things as I went and typed up a quick report on the session so that we had something to build on.

One of the players noted that there were really only 5 ‘skills’ – the main attributes of the characters. Yes there are ‘Skills’ in the game that function rather like stunts, allowing certain advantages, narrative power and rule tweaks, but at the end of the day it’s 2d6 and add a Stat.

If you are looking for any measure of game crunch then this sort of game is not for you. Really, apart from kits and data points, it is usually just down to adding your Stat, see where you fall on a Move range and describe the results. I don’t think that I’ve missed anything.

Most of us liked the experience, but not all. We thought that this game would be great for beginners, clear of game history and associated expectations.

How is it for you? Am I far off the mark?

Perseus Expansion – Episode 1

Perseus Expansion – Episode 1

Perseus Expansion – Episode 1

Our heroes:

Tyrrell Verbinski (John) – a reckless explorer

Dr Klaus Krieger (Simon) – a clip heeled technology scientist

Rickaric Drifft (Pete) – a former policeman and survivor

Gorm (Anthony) – A large and violent alien

The scene opens with the Combine licensed tramp freighter PB-497 emerging through the broiling grey clouds above Near Dark starport. Flecked with lightning, the ageing vessel lurches down to docking bay 3. See here for system information:

http://www.gamingtavern.eu/phpBB3testTHZ/viewtopic.php?f=84&t=4965#p4739

It is the Combine that has commissioned them to make contact with Ferris Jones, a Combine agent in Severin.

The Combine have taken a sudden interest in the locally sourced antidote to the virulent Janix Virus. The virus was eradicated on Near Dark, however the complex antiviral formula remains hidden on Near Dark. There are rumours that Janix has escaped the cul-de-sac system and is poised to strike across the sector…

After some routine starport acceptance rituals the group head out of the downport in Tyrrell’s SPV vehicle, spinning onto the only highway, Highway 1, sharp straight to the capital.

The road dual is brief as the squat armoured beetle wheeler crashes into the SPV spewing out two wretches of mercenaries armed with with pulse rifles, cloth armour and a determined attitude. (Two threats whose agenda was to kill and dissuade in equal manner). Enter Gorm, spilling out of the SPV and rolling forward for close assault. Rick was more controlled, lobbing in his flashbang and readying for the close in work that he excels at. Rick scored 10+ and got to narrate how he took out one section with his viscous close in work. Gorm was in the 7-9 range therefore blunting the attack by taking one down, but two more ran past and charged in into the SPV. Only to be met by the jury rigged laser pistol of the good Doctor. His new wide beam modification to his laser pistol sprung into life. One taken out and another staggering away, only to meet Gorm…

Gorm was wounded with a medium wound but took out the remaining guard, whilst Tyyrell swipes the beetle off the road into the drainage ditch.

Enter Nadia Wike on her super bike. She clearly has some history with Rick, and it is not all good. After a sharp exchange she speeds past Rick to Severin city (the road only goes to one place). Nadia is here on business and is sure she will meet up with Rick again before he departs.

Rock and roll at the Star Lodge, where hotel data screens are broken quite quickly. I didn’t mention the drone that has been following the group since death on Highway 1. They depart through the subterranean levels of the city to emerge outside Kerin’s Bar, ready to meet their contact, Ferris Jones, within…

Atmosphere: run down, graffiti decked and leaking like an old public toilet

http://www.gamingtavern.eu/phpBB3testTHZ/viewtopic.php?f=84&t=4965#p4739

The Seven Hills RPG convention isn’t far away, so I’ve put my game pitch in as below.

The Seven Hills RPG convention isn’t far away, so I’ve put my game pitch in as below.

The Seven Hills RPG convention isn’t far away, so I’ve put my game pitch in as below.

I’m going in hot, on fast burn, and intend to find out what is going on along with the players. I’m usually ‘Traveller with lots of prep”, so this is a bit of a wild jump.

Uridium Vortex

System: Uncharted Worlds – a Powered by the Apocalypse system game

Genre: Space Opera

Players: Up to a riotous 6

Slot 3

The extraction is almost complete. Deep in a secure complex in the withered heart of the Severin cityplex you close in on your mysterious prize. It was a tidy sum to acquire it. Neat and tidy.

Which faction commissioned this extraction?

What strings were attached to payment?

Who also wants this prize?

The squat permacrete building suddenly screeches into life. Sensors blink, shutters fall, deadlocks engage.

What gave the game away?

Who has just arrived to collect the prize?

Set in the far Perseus Expansion (http://www.gamingtavern.eu/phpBB3testTHZ/viewforum.php?f=84) in our future, 500 years from now, you and your crew have just taken a step far too far. Again…

Tags: PbtA, collaborative storytelling, “what do you do…?”

http://www.gamingtavern.eu/phpBB3testTHZ/viewforum.php?f=84

Playing with character generation to see how the elements fit together before our campaign.

Playing with character generation to see how the elements fit together before our campaign.

Playing with character generation to see how the elements fit together before our campaign.