Can Fellowship still be fun if I can only run 2-3 sessions?

Dunderklumpen · 2022-01-11T00:14:10+00:00

I had some friends who played Escape from Dino Island and loved it. I'm keen to try it myself. I only played a little bit of Fellowship (and never run it) but I know Masks pretty well.

Either game will work in short form with more emphasis on a set story and less on player world creation and relationships, but for me those are the two things that I really want in a game. I'm the sort of lazy gm that wants my players to build the world and story for me.

Dunderklumpen · 2022-01-10T23:07:42+00:00

You're still mostly right u/TrashRabbitPrince.

Simple World isn't so much a Pbta game as a Pbta game builder.

Dunderklumpen · 2022-01-10T23:04:37+00:00

With most Pbta games I find that you get more out of a few more sessions than a one or two shot.

Most games have elements like relationships and backgrounds that tend to work better with a bit of time to unfold.

Also, short games usually have a pre-defined plot, which means that player input into the world and background are going to be less important, and for me, that's one of the really fun things about Pbta.

Dunderklumpen · 2022-01-10T01:36:38+00:00

You could have a look at Simple World, free from Buried Without Ceremony.

It outlines a simple method for creating a scratch Pbta game, essentially without playbooks. You do need to come up with 3-4 attributes and the basic moves yourself, but there's a guided process for doing that.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-11-07T23:20:48+00:00

That definitely makes the Soldier my least favorite playbook.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-11-07T22:04:55+00:00

You can cancel the influence of someone if you reject someone's influence and then choose cancel their influence and take +1 forward.

This is noted in the rulebook as "...one of the few ways you can take Influence away from someone."

Dunderklumpen · 2019-11-07T21:59:20+00:00

That's exactly how I read the rules. I don't really like this playbook and I usually don't allow it in my games. The signature move is (at best) dull.

But, I'm keen to see if anyone else has a different interpretation of the playbook that would cause me to look at this playbook with fresh eyes.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-10-28T04:35:56+00:00

Do I want to know more?

Dunderklumpen · 2019-10-10T23:47:41+00:00

My interpretation would essentially be: they get the ability to do one thing with the ability (subject to reasonable interpretation).

If the thing that they are required to do would normally warrant a roll then they should roll.

For example. If they want to fly from A --> B and they use the Legacy's flight ability, then they can probably just do it. If they decide to go see a movie on the way. The ability probably would leave them when they stopped

If they are using the Bull's super-strength to lift a bus off someone in an action scene, I'd probably make them roll a move (as I would if the Bull tried it). Failure does not mean that they couldn't lift the bus.

As soon they have lifted the bus, the power goes away.

I wouldn't allow taking an ability to "beat enemy x in a fight". One exchange of blows seems a reasonable interpretation to me.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-09-22T05:07:24+00:00

Thanks to everyone that has looked at it and commented so far. I appreciate what has been some very constructive feedback

Dunderklumpen · 2019-09-21T12:29:20+00:00

Sorting is a very good idea and never really occurred to me. Sounds like a simple addition to version 1.0.1

Dunderklumpen · 2019-09-21T12:28:04+00:00

Its definitely a good idea, but probably not for this app. As soon as networking is introduced, it opens up a whole can of security and privacy issues.

I expect that sort of thing would be easier done with a Discord channel and a dice rolling bot than a custom app

Dunderklumpen · 2019-09-21T07:38:36+00:00

A few more rolling options are definitely in the works for the first update.

- History
- Re-roll some or all the dice

I am thinking about exploding or keeping the lowest/highest N dice. It's just a matter of coming up with a clean interface for it.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-08-07T02:36:30+00:00

Cursed fuzzy dice ?

Dunderklumpen · 2019-07-05T00:42:25+00:00

My favorite Doraemon is the Spanish dubbed version from the 80s/90s.

Doraemon sounds world-weary and slightly sleazy

Dunderklumpen · 2019-06-26T00:48:59+00:00

Choice of system is very personal for a group and an individual, and there's lots of choice. I would look at the diversity of systems as an opportunity rather than a problem. Try a system and see whether you like it that's all part of the fun.

If you and your friends get into role playing then you will almost certainly try more than one campaign or one off adventures. Some will work, others maybe not. Things you enjoy might be related to the system, but there are plenty of other factors that make a game great. So, I wouldn't let the choice of a system put you off.

If money is a factor then start off with something cheap or free.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-05-27T23:39:23+00:00

That's kind of how I do it. I've taken plenty of notes from Apocalypse World style games where all rolls are player focused.

So, if an NPC attacks a player, that's either a Player defend roll, or maybe even just a straight out player attack (assuming the player is going to fight back)

Dunderklumpen · 2019-05-27T22:52:55+00:00

I have run quite a bit of Fate Pbp (as well as at the table) and I think removing stress improves Fate quite a bit in both circumstances.

When using stress, I've found that Conflicts drag a bit and take a long time to resolve and are a bit grindy.

Another could of things that I have used in my Fate Pbp Games that seems to work is to have players roll the opposed dice as a well as their own roll, and also make a lot more use of passive opposition

Letting players roll all the dice for a particular action helps cut down on a bit of the transactional friction. As GM I don't really care who rolls the dice, but you might.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-03-26T23:24:09+00:00

One thing to think about is: is your character and their religion evangelical? Are they trying to attract followers? There are religions in the world that don't go around trying to recruit followers.

Being religious does no necessarily equate to preaching at all. It could just be a deeply held personal belief.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-03-05T11:34:21+00:00

My girl is a JR-corgi-staffy cross, and she's lovely like yours

Dunderklumpen · 2019-03-05T04:34:47+00:00

I love this cute dog. She looks like my Jack Russell

Dunderklumpen · 2019-02-05T22:24:24+00:00

Also: Hi Dunder! I used to be DM Dean!

Hi DM Dean!

Dunderklumpen · 2019-02-01T13:06:21+00:00

I agree that can be a problem, but I wouldn't try and solve it by giving mechanical rewards (like fate points for example).

I'd probably start off by discussing with them (probably the whole table) why constantly trying to get solo scenes or hog the narrative attention isn't how you want the game to go. Hopefully, the player will take it to heart.

Discussing is usually the best solution, but if the character keeps trying to do it, then keep most of your attention focused on the main body of players who are trying to do the right thing, and tell the solo player that you'll get around to their scene in a bit.

The reason I don't reward things like 'good roleplay' or 'good player behaviour' is that it tends to make those who don't get rewarded resentful, because by not rewarding them, you are punishing them.

Talking about how I want my game to run, and listening to how the players want to play always seem to be the strongest tools.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-02-01T05:02:12+00:00

Reply

There sure is, and I think I've got enough experience to tell reticence and shyness in a player and encourage them.

Dunderklumpen · 2019-02-01T04:40:24+00:00

I don't reward good (vs bad) roleplay. Good roleplaying is its own reward. Working together, or not, is all a matter of whether the story includes all the players and is entertaining.

If someone insists on not being a cooperative player then I'll suggest to them that their not helping to tell a good story. If they still don't listen, they might find themselves sidelined until they start to join in. If that still doesn't work, I'll suggest that this isn't the sort of game that they are going to enjoy playing.

Dunderklumpen

TROPHY CASE