Finally released draft rules for Vehicles and Mounts in Steampunk World:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzRDxotrnPmTZ0k4RG1haG5hYjA/view?usp=sharing
These are fun to play, but there’s always things I’ve missed or could do better – so comment (good, bad or otherwise), please.
If you want/need more, you can find it in the Steampunk World G+ community
Jacob Randolph (Inverse World) has his latest AW based project up on Kickstarter – looks fun
Jacob Randolph (Inverse World) has his latest AW based project up on Kickstarter – looks fun
Online playtest opening for Steampunk World
Online playtest opening for Steampunk World
I’m starting up an online playtest group for Steampunk World.
Time: Tuesday evenings (Central time); alt Monday evenings
If you’d like to join us, let me know here or privately.
FYI, rather than “first come/first served’, I’ll be giving preference to people who, in addition to enjoying some Steampunk gaming, want to help make Steampunk World a success (in any way, let me know how).
NB: Steampunk World is based on, but different to, Dungeon World.
For the latest Steampunk World moves and playbooks see the post at the top of the Steampunk World community:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/108439627279414945168
#SteampunkWorld
Combat Damage (in post hack-and-slash games) – To roll or not to roll?
Combat Damage (in post hack-and-slash games) – To roll or not to roll?
Does rolling damage separately make combat more enjoyable?
Or just more complicated/number crunchy?
It’s common in RPGs for attacks to have separate hit and damage rolls: you roll to see if you hit; if you hit, you roll again to determine how much damage you do.
Separate damage rolls certainly prolong the tension of combat – a good hit roll is not enough, you still need to get a decent damage roll.
Separate damage rolls also affect the randomness of combat; how much depends on the settings in the game:
* High damage variability vs total HP = quicker, more random combat outcomes
* Low damage value, low variability vs total HP = slower, more predictable combats
* High damage value, low variability vs total HP = shorter, more lethal combats
In addition, separate hit and damage rolls create a [loose] distinction between combat skill (to hit) and combat power (damage). Once again, the settings determine the relative importance of skill vs power.
Rolling separately for damage is also the default many experienced RPG’ers expect for combat. (This reflects the role of D&D and the ‘beat them into submission’ style of combat it models.)
However, PbtA games do not need damage to be rolled separately, as the effects of combat can all be handled as well narratively, if not better, using PbtA’s move (10+ success; 7-9 complication; 6- fail) structure.
For games like DW, the choice to roll damage separately seems obvious, given its emphasis on medieval fantasy combat and the expectations for this established by D&D.
But what about PbtA hacks that feature combat that’s not the hack-and-slash of medieval fantasy?
Which works better for them?
– Following the default or rolling HP danger separately?
– Handling combat damage using moves?
– Or something else?
Technology in PbtA games – some thoughts
Technology in PbtA games – some thoughts
TLDR: Unrestrained technologies undermine the mechanics of PbtA games, and what works best in technology rich settings is a) give the the character’s moves priority, and b) constrain the rate at which characters can acquire enhancing technologies.
Working on both a Steampunk and a Sci-fi PbtA hack really focuses the mind on the question of how best to incorporate technology into a PbtA game without turning that game into a technology arms race.
Sci-fi and steampunk are, by definition, settings where people use technologies that enhance their abilities; allowing them to do things they couldn’t otherwise (e.g. grav belt) and making them better at things they can do (e.g. power arm).
Technologies that give the characters new options in the fiction are easy to handle because they are effectively the same, in terms of gameplay, as a player coming up with an inventive way to handle a situation or moving the adventure into new territory (e.g. underwater). These technologies don’t require change to the game itself, just enjoyment of the fiction they open up.
It’s the things that make the characters existing abilities more powerful that are more challenging.
For example: How do you handle a character who picks up a target tracking gun-sight?
– Do they simply +1 on their shooting rolls, knowing that will a) make them as good a shot as someone who invested an improvement to their skills to get that good, and b) reduce the chances of interesting fiction happening (7-9 and 6- rolls) in combat.
– Do they need a special move for the upgrade?
– What if they later add a second upgrade to their gun (e.g. hunter-seeker bullets)?
What about an automated lock picker?
– Does this add +1 to attempts to pick locks?
– Does it work automatically on most locks and require a roll only on the most complex locks?
– And if this device makes the ‘thief’ character’s hard won lock picking skills redundant?
The technologies in these two examples make the character who uses them them more powerful. But do they make for better fiction? Do they make the game more exciting? More interesting?
There is also the problem of technology making characters’ own moves redundant.
I’ve come to the conclusion that unrestrained technologies actually undermine the mechanics of PbtA games – which makes hacking AW for technology rich settings of sci-fi and steampunk a challenge.
What seems to work best is when the power resides in the characters’ own moves, and accumulation of enhancing technologies is constrained either by a fictional mechanism (e.g. scarcity, high cost, available only to certain playbooks, etc.) or by tying it in to the characters development path (in effect making the technology just another sort of character move).
That’s my take on this.
What are your thoughts?
Steampunk World – Alpha draft A0.60 for testing and critique
Steampunk World – Alpha draft A0.60 for testing and critique
Community: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/108439627279414945168
All feedback gratefully appreciated:
– What do you like?
– What don’t you like
– What doesn’t work as well as it should?
– What’s good enough?
– What wants or needs to be better?
Please tell me what you think so we can make this even better 🙂
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzRDxotrnPmTSF9DTEdhQk0yRU0/view?usp=sharing
Steampunk World: Tales of Action, Invention and Character
Steampunk World: Tales of Action, Invention and Character
– draft for playtesting coming soon, and a community
I had hoped to have the alpha of Steampunk World available before the Easter break, but am running out of time and still have a load of updates to do. As soon I have a coherent draft I’ll get it out for review.
In the meanwhile, I’ve created the Steampunk World community, so please join if you’re interested in playtesting, providing feedback (when there’s a draft to critique) or just following its progress.
Beyond: Adventures in Hazardous Space
Beyond: Adventures in Hazardous Space
– And going to Steampunk!
Hi, here’s the latest version (A1.71) of Beyond: Adventures in Hazardous Space – everything has had work!
Key changes are:
– new, more comprehensive setting creation
– new group and character story rules
– changes to Basic moves and several new Universal moves
– new ‘assistant’ mechanics
– 4 new classes, 1 new race, changes to all the existing classes and races
– lots of clarification and playtesting tweaks
There’s some work on using ships and bases, more classes in he wings, however the biggest thing that’s coming is Beyond is taking a sideways step into Steampunk!
My long term plan for Beyond had been to do sci-fi first then expand it into steampunk (I love both genres and the rules are designed with that in mind). However with relatively empty sci-fi PbtA space suddenly filling with great games like The Sprawl and Uncharted Space, rather than thread on their toes, I’ve decided to flip things around and focus on steampunk.
What you have here, therefore, is possibly the last sci-fi version of Beyond for a while (though I may roll out the ship/base rules and sci-fi versions of new classes just for the benefit of anyone who’s using these rules).
As for Steampunking this, apart from needing a more steampunk name, there’s a bunch of flavor to change and social mechanics to add, new classes, revised races, etc. (No, I won’t just be putting gears on it!)
I would still love any feedback you may have on the sci-fi version.
And, if you’re interested in joining the Steampunk journey I’d love to hear from you.
p.s. I will continue to support the sci-fi version, so if you need or want anything in it, or have any feedback let me know.
– Michael D
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzRDxotrnPmTT2dHRU9LT3dfeEk/view?usp=sharing
Beyond: draft sci-fi hack for your enjoyment and feedback
Beyond: draft sci-fi hack for your enjoyment and feedback
+ wanted one playtester (Tuesdays 7pm EST / 4pm PDT)
Beyond is all about the sorts of space adventures that make for great TV, movies and books. (see below)
The flavour: co-op adventure on the edges of known space and Beyond.
Beyond has been in playtest and public revision for several weeks and the excellent feedback has helped improve the game significantly. However more feedback will help make it even better.
– What do you like?
– What’s doesn’t work as well as it should?
– What’s good enough?
– What wants or needs to be better?
(FYI, work is currently focusing on more classes and a much richer setting creation section. Still to come are sections on Episodes, Factions, NPCs, Foes, Locations, Adapting Beyond, Hazards, etc.)
Playtester wanted:
Unfortunately, we’ve lost one of our core playtesters to the demands of RL and would like to find a replacement. Gaming is via Hangouts Tuesdays 4pm PST / 7pm EST. If you’re good with providing feedback, can commit to a regular Tuesday evening and would like some fun sci-fi gaming please get in touch.
(FYI, we’ve one session 16 Dec before Christmas and will resume again in the New Year – unless, of course, we find the time tat suits everyone to fit in a extra session during the break.)