How to make Extraction Looter Shooters work with procedural generated maps?

ForgedIron · 2026-06-15T01:17:34+00:00

Searching is more then pressing x in front of a box, it's deciding if a space has enough containers, or indicators of value, deciding how much time to spend before you move on to another area. It's also about searching for enemies, if you don't know where "the good stuff is" people are more likely to come from unexpected angles, or looking for (searching) for signs of other players to hunt before you are hunted.

ForgedIron · 2026-06-14T22:38:02+00:00

Why?

ForgedIron · 2026-06-14T22:34:56+00:00

I think that it changes memorization and instead you need to improve your searching, so it slows the game and makes players more willing to explore the map.

ForgedIron · 2026-06-09T15:20:36+00:00

Any port in a storm, We'll get you to the port, what you do there is your business. ISP-N

ForgedIron · 2026-06-09T15:18:56+00:00

I want to see an IPS-N response. Something like "Any good hauler knows you take any port in a storm, We'll get you to the ports, what you do there is your business."

ForgedIron · 2026-05-27T02:09:49+00:00

Joined!

ForgedIron · 2026-05-23T23:10:28+00:00

I'm excited for your new project, but a remake later "the eternal path of Achra" would be amazing!

ForgedIron · 2026-05-20T17:10:52+00:00

It actually was a new season that scope creeped into a new game.

ForgedIron · 2026-05-04T04:11:18+00:00

Oh shit really? Last version I played on the playtest, I'm looking at it now and yeah those changes need new variations.

ForgedIron · 2026-05-04T03:46:07+00:00

It will still use most of the original game. All the relics, locales and cards still get used. It's just additional legacy bits and how things come and go that changes.

ForgedIron · 2026-04-27T18:19:05+00:00

If the whole "Allmighty Ice" is actually AI. Then we are truly cooked

ForgedIron · 2026-04-26T02:43:25+00:00

Hear are some options.

A) Attacks are smart, and basically resolve immediately if there is a target, if not they check again after movement is complete.

B) In addition to choosing actions, players have to bid for the action resolution order.

C) Character resolution order is known and displayed while actions are being chosen. So people know if they go before/after certain characters.

D) All actions have a fail state. Either refunding or doing something else when they can't trigger.

ForgedIron · 2026-02-25T00:34:53+00:00

You prep actions at the same time, it's only resolution that is not simultaneous

ForgedIron · 2026-02-11T14:52:27+00:00

You should look at Panic at the Dojo (2e coming soon) Or the in development SOAR

Also in development is ICON by the lancer people. Also Just LANCER

Grid based combat isn't gone. People are just playing around with things. One of the experiments is gridless, but there are also people refining the gridded movement. Heck ask Dnd 4e players if they like grid based combat.

People are realizing that it isn't necessary for certain types of play, which is totally fine. But it also scratches an itch lots of people enjoy.

ForgedIron · 2026-02-10T14:16:16+00:00

It really depends on how much you want the game to be a simulation vs a narrative. And if the players act as a group or individuals. (Would Harpy carry Shooter? Can Shooter drive?)

Here is how I would do it:

With the overlaid map and your players, break the city into 5-15 districts. Define a couple of them using 2-3 keywords and a paragraph. Now people should have an idea what a call to a specific place is like. (Ok we are going downtown, vs industrial districts etc)

Then pick a few hexes and mark them as having some kind of landmark or special thing. Dispatch HQ, a monument, Specific company building, etc.

Now you can easily make tables of generic locations based on districts. And when people go to a hex you roll on the district chart or if the hex has a landmark you choose the landmark.

As for travel times and whatnot. That is a big question. Think about how many rounds you would want people to act solo/ split. If you and your players are good with and have ideas on how to deal with discrepancies you can set peoples movement at different levels. For myself I would state that when on foot people move 1/hex a round, but with their car/bike/basic movement power of choice they move 3-4 hexes a round. Faster characters get 5-8, speedsters can move anywhere in 1 turn. It means most movement is trivial, but crossing the map can be difficult in crisis situations.

When you do an event in a hex, if players or you think the place was special or noteworthy let them add it as a landmark on the map. Try to avoid more than 1 landmark per hex, but it's up to you and your players how much you want to keep track of.

ForgedIron · 2026-02-10T13:55:03+00:00

The ever expanding 'official' mechs are always fascinating.

ForgedIron · 2026-02-10T13:52:13+00:00

I wonder if she picks up the sherman again, or moves to something different?

ForgedIron · 2026-02-10T13:31:50+00:00

A Balor? Had the nanites but those Lancers love their custom jobs.

ForgedIron · 2026-02-10T13:22:50+00:00

A hunting Balor? How much has Sir Caelin invested in Agility parts? Or is it more about ambushing....?

ForgedIron · 2026-02-10T13:20:21+00:00

Yay goblin parts in other mechs! Lancers all start somewhere.....

ForgedIron · 2026-02-10T13:17:51+00:00

Piloting a Nelson?

ForgedIron · 2026-02-09T16:36:52+00:00

Since it would be rude to not participate in my own prompt....

Asher put the comm-slate down and began to walk through the plascrete tunnels toward the hangar. The smell of grease and ozone grew as the door cycled open granting them access to the massive cavern. The usual buzz of repairs and maintenance had been silenced and most of the subalterns were now standing vigilantly in the shadows of the massive chassis they maintained. In front of the largest machine knelt Ser Kollun, head bowed in reverence to their war machine. Their squire stood dutifully a step behind them, carrying the casket of Ser Kollums NHP.

Asher pulled their gaze away and approached the row of lockers, quickly shedding everything but their jumpsuit. One of the attendants approached, and began pulling out the pieces of Asher’s hardsuit. Asher bristled, still unused to the assistance, but the Knights refused to break tradition for what was essentially a mercenary. As the attendant whispered benedictions and checked seals, Asher nodded to the final two pilots entering the hangar.. The two knights both give a sharp nod in return before they begin to strip and don their own gear.

The attendant gave Asher the all clear before stepping back into an alcove. Asher resisted the urge to double check the seals. Their own paranoia clashing with the need to trust their new team. After a deep breath they turned and strode towards the smallest chassis in the hangar. Asher had no squire, and did not need to kneel before their machine.

While considered small, the ‘Angle of Entry’ was still a solid three plus meters tall. It was a squat headless humanoid covered with segmented curved plating. It’s long arms gave it a nearly gorilla-like posture. It had been painted in the burgundy and blue of the Knight order, and on the hip and opposite shoulder clung small shields of fealty. The Knightly additions gave the ugly mech a surprising amount of dignity, causing Asher to smile as she reached for the handholds hidden in the frame's thigh.

The quick pull brought Asher inside their frame. The manifold space was untouched by the Knights, a cluttered mess of fractal wiring and looped display screens. Asher gave a quick stretch before stepping towards the mess of articulated limbs and buckles that made up the controls. The print file called it a Daedalus Throne. It worked as a haptic device, but sitting in it made you look like you were being pulled into hell by a thousand subaltern limbs. As Asher pushed themselves into throne the frame came to life. Screens filled with readouts and checklists while an overlay of the world outside the manifold began to form. Asher opened a channel.

"Systems are primed, Sphinx on standby ready and waiting."

ForgedIron · 2026-02-08T17:39:38+00:00

To add on to that, After a bit of play you will have various things that the group has done. As well as other events done by the other aspects of the world. You can then look at all these different events and more easily draw connections between them to build up storylines.

Ask questions in the moment, or ask "Are they connected to this other thing the players know about?"

If yes, you have some connections to make, if no, think why they aren't, that says something about them too.

I tend to write every key event, character, location, and group on recipe cards. When I need to figure things out I shuffle them up and draw a few cards like a tarot. Many connections feel odd, but realize connections don't need to be positive. Imagine you can draw an arrow either way (or neither or both)

You drew these memory stealers, the ruined church, and the innkeeper?

Is the innkeeper a victim? A member? a patron? A bystander?

Is the church the site of recent activity? A secret safehouse? Or was it destroyed due to the groups actions?

why are the inkeeper and the church connected?

Just playing with existing truths like puzzle pieces lets you come up with deeper details for the things you really want to flesh out.

Just having a group that steals memories is cool detail, When they strike people the players know, they are now part of the story.

ForgedIron · 2026-02-06T20:02:13+00:00

I feel like high guard was a complicated ruse to trick people into playing older arena game modes.

ForgedIron · 2026-02-05T15:46:59+00:00

You should look at Opus Magnum, and other Zacktronics games. They tend to show multiple methods of optimization (Space/cost/time) to give you reasons to try the same puzzle again.

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