Category: Uncharted Worlds: Discussion

I joined a Kickstarter for the FarFlung PbtA game.

I joined a Kickstarter for the FarFlung PbtA game.

I joined a Kickstarter for the FarFlung PbtA game. It proposes a zany far-future game. Without giving too much away, it has 6 Characteristics, 7 basic Moves, and 3 Moves for a PC or NPC to help another. It gives several high-powered character types in a future with high medical tech and anti-aging, and their Special Moves. Most interesting was its section on Challenges (fronts) and they gave an organized list of sample Challenges with multiple Moves for how to deal with them. As usual only players roll during a Move initiated by the opposition.

HOSTILITIES

Creep (a weak character)

…Creep counter-attacks

…Creep yells cat-calls, insults and abuse (-1 Feeling; yes, you can hurt a character in points called “feels”!)

…Creep attacks

Gang of Creeps (many weak characters)

[similar moves]

Boss Creep (one strong character)

…Boss counter-attacks

…Boss orders gang to do things

Paramilitary (one strong charaxter)

…Paramilitary counter-attacks

…Military actions (call for back-up, suppresive fire, may initiate cease hostilities)

Paramilitary unit (several strong characters)

[similar moves]

Alien Predator (one strong creature)

…Sneak attack

…Player breaks free of the predator’s pounce

…Counter-attack

…Ravage the pounced target

Psi Monster (one weird creature)

…Sneak attack

…Counter-attack

…Mind Blast

…Flee by moving through walls

Alien menace (one grand creature)

…Counter-attack

…Berserker rage

Giant Kaiju (one grander creature)

…Counter-attack

…Every interval, smash more of the city

Space Knight (one grander creature)

…(some kind of intimidation Move upon first meeting characters)

…Counter-attack with laser boade

…At each interval, slash at target

ENVIRONMENTAL

Containment (imprisonment, strong hazard)

…Think of something!

…Brute Force

…Affect someone or something outside of the containment (hard to do)

…Someone comes to your rescue

…Villain gloats (and reveals details of their master plan)

Infiltration (strong puzzle, a kind of contest with countdown tokens)

…Recon

…Disguise

…Sneak Around

…Sabotage the Security System (major benefit: more countdown tokens allowing you to stick around longer)

… -1 countdown (after each interval or round)

…Any Moves that may draw attention to you will reduce countdown tokens or force you to leave

Hull Breach (strong hazard)

…Evacuate

…Seal the Breach

… -1 countdown (after every interval subtract a countdown token. If down to zero it is very bad for anybody not in safety)

Long Journey

…Stay on Course

…Planning the Route

… -1 countdown

Dangerous Piloting (strong event)

…Sit in the Pilot’s Chair

…Turbulence

Chase Sequence (strong event, uses Countdown tokens)

…Escape

…Slow down pursuers

…Surrender (no roll necessary)

… -1 countdown each interval

Arcane Device (strong puzzle, uses Countdown tokens for a certain amount of time before something bad happens)

…Make sense of the thing

…Sabotage it

INTERPERSONAL

Fact-Finding (long-term event, more than a simple Lore roll)

…Use your Expertise

…Find someone who can help you

…Mental stress

…Unwanted attention

…Time is running out

…Countdown drops to zero? It’s hopeless. (Can’t try again for a while, something significant must change in the story to try again.)

Social Gathering (strong event)

…Life of the Party

…Sneak weapons into the event past security

…Mingle

…Use the party as cover

… -1 countdown (the party won’t last forever)

…Dreadful insult!

…Inopportune arrival

…Become Conspicuous

Cease Hostilities (strong event)

…Plea to surrender

…Assert your social status

Deceit (strong event)

…Deceive (special move)

Haggling (strong event)

…Haggling (special move)

Intimidation (strong event)

…Demand

…Scare

…Throw your weight around

Revive and Rest (have to do with the damage and healing rules. A character can be restored to conscious action with minimum points, then heal later.)

Brainstorm with me:

Brainstorm with me:

Brainstorm with me:

I mentioned in a previous post that my players had found their way inside a solid, almost crystalline dyson sphere of unknown origin. We faded to black at that moment.

I have a handful of rough ideas and images for what’s inside (but intend to play to find out). However, I am going to offer this up as a “sword and planet” style adventure, where it’s basically their high tech against the rigors and strangeness of an alien world. So what sort of custom moves do you see for something like this?

I already have this idea of a supply/resource move based on the AW Hardholder/Hocus stuff, to give them resource pressure without the need for tracking rations and crazy shit like that.

I’m also considering some variation of DW’s perilous journey, but haven’t fully fleshed that out. I’m still not sure if this will take (about 75% confident right now).

I have one question about starting a new physical game (as opposed to a game via chat).

I have one question about starting a new physical game (as opposed to a game via chat).

I have one question about starting a new physical game (as opposed to a game via chat). How would you organize the logistics of character creation? In all other PBTA games it is dead simple as you only have to pass around the playbooks and there are no doubles.

In Uncharted Worlds nothing hinders a player to select identical careers or origins. Passing around a copy of my GM book does not seem like a real option. As I am trying to show/teach my players this game, they do not have copies of the rulebook themselves.

Do you plan on creating a player set with just the steps for character creation and the careers/origins? Would it be okay if the GM distributed a printout of those at the table? If yes, how many would you print? One for every player (waste of paper) or just two or three?

I want to gm a one-shot session at the end of the month, and it seems to me that the mechanical part of character creation takes much longer than in any other PBTA game. Would it be a good advice to hand out the careers and origins beforehand so that the players can get aquainted with them?

Here’s a little something sprung from a conversation a while back, about reflections and isolation in space (and in…

Here’s a little something sprung from a conversation a while back, about reflections and isolation in space (and in…

Here’s a little something sprung from a conversation a while back, about reflections and isolation in space (and in general). Check it out, kick the tyres, expand, contract, tell me where it works and where it doesn’t.

When you find yourself isolated for a significant amount of time (interstellar travel, remote outpost, foreigner in a foreign place), Roll 2d6.

On a 10+, describe how you overcome your isolation.

On a 7-9, something comes to the surface. The GM will ask you a question or two about your past, your fears, your secret longings. Answer them.

On a 6-, you decide: slip up, become unstable, or lose sight of something important. You may suffer injury, debility, or debt, as a result.

The bones of a long dead society spill out across the horizon as far as you can see.

The bones of a long dead society spill out across the horizon as far as you can see.

The bones of a long dead society spill out across the horizon as far as you can see. Homes, offices, infrastructure – it’s all here, looking vaguely and eerily like any city you’d find back home… just bigger.

But it’s not like home. Here all is silent. All you find as you walk these echoing streets are these lamps on nearly every street corner. A few still glow with faint light.

What do you do?

(Image via Michael Prescott​​ at http://blog.trilemma.com/2016/12/the-call-of-light.html)

The Setup: During our Session 0 the players and I constructed a local cluster connected by jump gates.

The Setup: During our Session 0 the players and I constructed a local cluster connected by jump gates.

The Setup: During our Session 0 the players and I constructed a local cluster connected by jump gates. Earth is off the table for the game, but is still connected – it’s just like a year journey to get back.

One of the local stars that the original explorers happened upon was encased in a dyson sphere of unknown origin (at approximately Venus orbit). The structure appears almost crystalline and reflects/refracts all incoming EM waves and sensors. No seams or entrances were ever founds. But the frozen planets still orbiting the sphere were ripe with unique materials, and the system became a destination for mining.

Now: The characters have discovered with enough concentrated plasma fire, the crystalline structure of the sphere will “melt” away. It reseals itself in moments, but they are able to fire a sustained blast from their ship long enough to get their shuttle and mech suit through while the ship waits outside in position. It is set to re-bore the hole once per day until fuel gets low, then it will do it once a week.

The session ended as they flew into the borehole before it sealed up behind them.

WHAT DO THEY FIND INSIDE?