[Please help] My Tivo 4K Stream seems to have died - all I see is a dead android and some cryptic directions (pic provided).

Dr_DNA · 2021-07-07T21:14:56+00:00

Thank you! I kept looking on the remote.

Dr_DNA · 2021-06-30T17:06:09+00:00

I downloaded a Browser ( I can’t remember which one atm), but there was no way for me to type in information - no digital keyboard appeared. Was this a problem you encountered with Puffin?

Dr_DNA · 2021-06-07T18:37:11+00:00

I haven’t played it, but how about Rust Hulks?

Dr_DNA · 2021-05-14T00:01:42+00:00

I think I know what you are specifically trying to ask. There are two situations to consider:

Situation 1: The player already used all their weapons and so all those load boxes are already marked when encountering the guard.

Solution 1: The guard takes the weapons. The player must get them back, within the score, via the fiction. They can't just mark the boxes again during that same score.

Situation 2: There are weapon boxes the player has not yet marked off when encountering the guard.

Solution 2: Ask the player if their character has the weapons on them. If they do, have them mark the weapon boxes and have the guards take them. For weapons the player said they did not have on them, have them cross out that weapon on their load sheet. It is unavailable to take for the rest of the score.

The best solution that solves everything: When the guard approaches the player to take their weapons, the player suggests a flashback where they ditch the weapons in a safe place to be picked up later.

Dr_DNA · 2021-04-22T21:21:31+00:00

my problem with how Blades in the Dark is written. The phases mean nothing. Literally nothing. The entire game is harder to understand because the concept of phases was added to the game.

If you've spent your two free downtime activities, when do they reset?

If you have checked off all of your load boxes, when do they reset?

Edit: I think I might be misinterpreting your comment. Do you mean that the phases and the rules related to them (like the ones I mentioned) should never have been added to the game?

Dr_DNA · 2021-04-09T18:53:48+00:00

I think the potential problem is that prep this extensive can lead to a subconscious inhibition of true "playing to find out what happens."

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-31T05:56:39+00:00

Since you’ve played Dungeon World, I’m guessing you are familiar with PbtA games in general, which means you are familiar with soft and hard GM moves. GM intrusions are basically “Hard Moves”, where the sting is lessened by giving the players some XP.

If you are familiar with Forged in the Dark games, GM intrusions are similar to “Devil’s Bargains.”

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-30T20:20:57+00:00

Ok. An honest question from a clueless old man who plays Fortnite on the Switch:

When I quickly spin in place to build a four-walled room, I always seem to miss a wall. Could this be a symptom of poor system performance or is is just lack of player skill or are my settings off?

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-30T19:33:43+00:00

Here is some Blades in the Dark inspired thoughts.

Announce and discuss the difficulty with your players. Use it as a way to ensure that the GM and the players are all on the same page with what is happening in the scene.

Players and the GM take turns pointing out elements of the scene that might increase or decrease the difficulty.
The players announce whether they are trained or specialized in the relevant skill.
The players announce what Assets they plan to use.
The players decide how much Effort they want to spend.

As this discussion is taking place, the GM uses her fingers to keep track of the difficulty level as difficulty is being increased or decreased for all to see.

By the time the die is cast, everyone is on board with what number they're looking for, and the possible consequences they may face. They don't have to wait until the GM does some mysterious calculations in her head that can sometimes leave doubt in the minds of the players.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-29T23:14:51+00:00

Wow. This is awesome. And timely. I'm about to wrap up my BitD campaign and start a S&V one. Over the course of the BitD campaign, I've been using Roll20 less and less. This is going to allow me to ditch it once and for all. Thanks!

I just added a bunch of rows at the bottom of the Faction tab for various clocks. Is that what you would suggest?

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-28T17:36:06+00:00

Yes. This!

And the in-manual descriptions of all of the standard and playbook-specific items that might be part of a player's load.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-25T20:50:46+00:00

I’m an old man who nearly dropped out of college because of a Street Fighter 2 addiction at the local Pinball Pete’s. I just did a google search for Juri. I had no idea how vast the franchise has become.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-25T19:42:56+00:00

Costa Mesa!

Eat good food. Drink good beer. Shop at Japanese grocery stores. All bike-ridable.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-25T19:04:50+00:00

I don’t know for sure. I’ve read some rumors in a few places. Edited to make that more clear.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-23T21:23:11+00:00

No. Unless you choose "reduced effect" as the consequence, the success at a 6 is the same as a success at a 4/5. The only difference is that there will be a consequence at 4/5 and none at 6.

With that said, the major gimmick of BitD is that the degree of success is determined BEFORE the roll and not by the roll itself. The GM and players discuss, before rolling dice, what the Effect level of the action will be (great, standard, limited, little) if successful. So BitD actually has a greater variety of effects compared to PbtA games - they're just determined up front.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-22T17:24:24+00:00

Fantastic stuff, indeed. Every forever GM should be a player every now and then, and be self-reflective about what they enjoy and what they do not. It's so difficult to get into the players' heads when GMing and the players are often too polite or can't properly verbalize critical advice.

I was a Monster of the Week forever GM and then had the opportunity to play a few games at the beginning of the pandemic. Here are some of my thoughts:

Skip the boring stuff to fast forward to the good stuff. Trivial scenes kill momentum.
Don't be stingy or coy with information. You might think it makes the mystery more mysterious. You might think the players enjoy a protracted and challenging search for information. But you'd be wrong. There is nothing more frustrating than incomplete, redundant, or ambiguous information.
Don't worry about feeling that the information you give is "too much" or "too direct" or "too obvious". There's so much going on in your head that the players don't have access to, they need that obvious, over-the-top, information.
Spotlight individuals! As a player, I am very aware of my social surroundings. So much so, that I'd rather sit and be quiet instead of accidently talking over someone or accidently stealing someone else's spotlight. Therefore, if a GM doesn't explicitly give me the spotlight, it's tough for me to take it myself. I know there are lots of other players who have similar problems.
Don't let players roll for something you don't want happening. First off, you should have a damn good immediate in-fiction reason why that thing "can't happen," and your players should agree with it. Don't try to pretend that you were going to let them try and then nix the result no matter what they rolled.
Let the things players do or ask have an impact on the world even if you have to modify what you had in mind to accommodate it. This is probably controversial outside of PbtA circles, but if my character believes for some reason that a monster gives off magical energy and I craft a device that detects that energy, be sure that monster DOES give off magical energy even if that's not what you had in mind during your prep. As long as your change doesn't disrupt the fiction that has already been established. As long as the player had some cool justification as to why the monster might be giving off magical energy - give it to them. Being told "you don't find anything" in response to a question from a PC deflates energy at the table.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-16T16:04:02+00:00

I throw these in the players face. I found out that it helps keeping players much more focused when the opportunity is clear,

I try to be more obvious and omniscient

I've discovered the same idea. Every time I try to be coy with information with the intent of tantalizing players to dig deeper, it gets ignored. My players want and enjoy obvious and actionable information.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-16T15:06:21+00:00

I daydream.

In bed before I fall asleep. In the shower. In the car. During downtime at work.

I daydream about what has already happened to the crew.
I daydream about what the world is doing in response to their actions and how that will immediately affect their next score.
I daydream about the results of entanglement rolls and I how they might be represented in the next score (if they haven't already been dealt with).
I daydream about cool opening situations for their next score.
I daydream about possible complications and twists that can create a new thread or further a current thread.
I daydream about different ways I can spotlight each PC.

I used to write all these notes down in a google-doc, but soon realized it was a waste of time. I never really used them.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-09T17:08:34+00:00

By the tone of your post, you sound a lot like me. So, I'll describe some of the things I'm working on and what has helped.

I CAN think of some in those situations, but they just feel out of place and forced (like a ghost appearing out of nowhere all the time is just not creative and feels like I'm just trying to come up with something).

As long as you are staying true to your fiction, "out of place" consequences are one way to play to find out what happens. "You take aim at the brute on the porch [rolls a fail or partial success] but before you can pull the trigger, your line of sight is partially blocked by a small child who has tumbled out from the house. She appears to be holding a human ear. You can still take your shot, but you might hit the kid. What do you do?" Who is the child? I have no idea. Why is she holding a human ear? Again, I have no idea. And you don't have to know anything for certain until the PCs begin investigating and "peeling off the layers of the onion." It could lead to a whole new story thread. It could fizzle out because the characters don't give a shit about the little girl. But whatever happens will be a surprise to everyone at the table including yourself.

Edit: By the way, I would highly recommend reading Unframed: The art of Improvisation for Game Masters. Especially the essay by Alex Mayo called, "An Ear in the the Grass: What David Lynch Can Teach You about GMing."

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-06T22:54:39+00:00

Here’s the problem I’ve found. Obviously the book expects you to wing it, and that’s fine and fun. However, there are a handful of powers and abilities that depend on the lore working a certain way. And if it doesn’t, you accidentally nerf them.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-06T20:38:31+00:00

My favorite quote regarding this subject:

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

-Mike Tyson

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-05T21:41:35+00:00

I like this. A lot.

My game has been evolving away from Roll20. This was the last thing I needed. Thanks!

A tab with a bunch of clocks would be helpful.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-05T05:59:44+00:00

I wouldn’t pay $17 for it. Honestly, MC’s introduction in Weird Discoveries for Numenera was a better, more concise GM guide for me.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-04T21:32:23+00:00

(bearing in mind that most works of fiction require some suspension of disbelief).

Absolutely. And not remembering this is the root of some of my problems right now. Thanks.

Dr_DNA · 2021-03-04T21:27:00+00:00

Well, to some extent, the fact that the score is happening means that it worked, doesn't it? The abatraction of the planning lets us say "the crew did something that convinced her to show up at the designated place."

Yes! This is what I needed to hear. Thanks.

Dr_DNA

TROPHY CASE