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CatDad

@CatDad@mas.to

Disoriented modern ape. Leftist Luddite working in GovTech and CivicTech. TTRPG enjoyer since Basic D&D. I have many cats. Be patient with me, I’m from the 1900’s.

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CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

I'm not really a fan of what Modipheus has done with a lot of IPs, but since Star Trek Adventures 1e is free for Free RPG Day I'm taking a closer look.

Admittedly my main exposure to the 2d20 system was Conan, and that was bad. Seems they learned some important lessons from that for STA.

It... doesn't seem too bad? Mechanically not as obtuse as Conan, and the ship as almost another character approach is consistent with Roddenberry's ideals. I don't think Modipheus butchered this one.

SJohnRoss ,
@SJohnRoss@dice.camp avatar

@CatDad I don't like to dig into the negative, really, and I have an unfair perspective in that they affectionately smooched my butt to get me on the writing team and I got to see their shoddy idea of design face first, and walked out with their lipstick still shiny.

So instead I'll praise it: hey. It's better than their Dishonored game.

CatDad OP ,
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

@SJohnRoss That's fair. 😁

CatDad , to random
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The problem I have with many "fiction-first" games: they force a certain playstyle through playbooks. Here is the narrow way your character can advance mechanically. You can pretend the fiction offers other options, but that's illusionary.

I like the ideas behind a lot of "Powered by the Apocalypse" or "Forged in the Dark" games, but when I actually start digging into them the playbook approach is what loses me, except for one-shots.

orangelantern ,

@thoughtpunks @CatDad Kinda like olden day D&D used gold as a lvl-up resource? I am not too much of a fan of this, because it will make players base all their ingame-decisions around this resource. It's not that different from using XP, which are supposed to be an abstract thing, and the party frantically looking for an Orc to kill because they're this close to levelling up.

In my own system I'm using story-milestone-based level-ups with set talents to choose from for each character archetype. In context of the complete package it works really well. So far. There has been no long-term campaign test of this to date.
There is something incredibly satisfying, almost primal, about a "level-up" and getting stuff. I did my best to not make it about something specific in the world, but general progress as a character, as a hero and in the context of the adventure story.

I have seen systems trying to tie it to reknown, specific deeds, currency, world events or even magic objects the characters need to find. It all results in the stories being all about aquiring this resource. If you want this, then this is ideal. If not, well, it probably won't be a good fit.

thoughtpunks ,
@thoughtpunks@dice.camp avatar

@orangelantern @CatDad I'm not so much a fan of pure gold/kill rewards. More things that will hook active play, like accruing the aforementioned Favors and Secrets. Things that can be gained by engaging with the game premise but not by grinding. They definitely need to be well-tuned to the concept and broader play or it just become the grind or fetch questing.

CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

is a really good lightweight D&D alternative. I think I like it better than as it strips the system down further but not as minimalist as some others in the or space. I’m still kinda tired of class- and level-bound games though, with the usual stats, HP, AC, etc.

CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

I'm in that annoying mental space where there is something about every in my library that annoys me.

CatDad , to random
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I've been looking at various settings a bit more in depth than I have in the past, like Eberron. I think I prefer more compact or brief setting descriptions rather than giant tomes of description or stories that have already come to pass. I like more open ended settings with a few major factions, not dozens.

I also have no interest in many of these settings as integrated with their systems, like Eberron in D&D. At least in some cases there are fan conversions if I ever wanted that.

CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

One thing that bothers me an inordinate amount in a is example characters that break the character generation rules. Come on folks, it shouldn't be that hard to apply your own damned rules and give legal character examples.

CatDad OP ,
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

@SJohnRoss I blame sloppy editing. I've seen it from time to time in earlier games too, but it's still annoying when you run into it.

CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

A friend of mine is thinking of starting up a Mutants & Masterminds 3e game, which I'm excited for because he loves the supers genre and puts a lot of thought and effort into the games he runs (albeit rarely as he doesn't have the time to do it much).

Which superhero is your favorite?

CatDad OP ,
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

@SJohnRoss Aha, that's good, because I wasn't really a fan of what I saw in GURPS Supers either way back when I was into GURPS. I haven't looked at I.S.T.

CatDad , to random
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The system is what it does.

(This is both a political and post)

CatDad , to random
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Have you ever come across a where you love the concept and/or setting, but the actual mechanics are not at all what you expected or seem dissonant to the tone of the game?

Did you cannibalize what you liked for some other system, or is it languishing on a shelf?

CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

Call of Cthulhu published adventures and campaigns -- which are your favorites and why?

Tim_Eagon ,
@Tim_Eagon@dice.camp avatar

@CatDad One of my favorite scenarios is "What Goes Around, Comes Around" by Jeffrey Moeller, which appeared in The Unspeakable Oath 8/9.

I actually prefer scenario anthologies over longer campaigns, but I have a real soft spot for At Your Door, which is an epic campaign set in the early 90s. It's like the most early 90s thing published too!

CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

Generational ranges are kinda bullshit, but it's funny how many younger folks mistake Gen-X for Boomer. We're pretty used to being ignored but misidentification is getting annoying.

I suppose it goes the other way too, where lots of folks think the low end of Millennials is much younger than it actually is.

Tim_Eagon ,
@Tim_Eagon@dice.camp avatar

@CatDad Eh, boomer is now just a general pejorative for anyone older and out of touch.

CatDad , to random
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folks: do you use cards for prompts or sparking ideas? If so, what set(s) do you like? Looking for cards with good evocative art for this purpose.

nickwedig ,
@nickwedig@dice.camp avatar

@CatDad I ran a game recently where we had 10-12 different tarot or tarot-like decks available and players could choose which to pull from each time they drew a card.

But after just a little bit of time this became entirely "draw from the Everway deck" every time.

So I guess that one.

CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

One of my guilty pleasures is medical dramas. Although often contrived and not wholly accurate, the situations drive me to look up the reality of a lot of conditions and learn more about how these silly flesh sacks we're cursed with actually work.

Tim_Eagon ,
@Tim_Eagon@dice.camp avatar

@CatDad I remember there was a doctor who wrote assessments of House episodes from a realistic perspective. He was a fan, so it was a hoot.

CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

I like this a lot.

(from Relic by Lonely Adventurer, https://lonely-adventurer.itch.io/relic-v3)

CatDad , to random
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

What is your go-to lightweight ? That game you toss in a backpack or in your luggage or otherwise have close at hand for a quick pickup game with friends or random folks?

CatDad OP ,
@CatDad@mas.to avatar

@SJohnRoss I am not familiar with Sherpa

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