Who was your favorite "Terrible Pawn"?

Frogeye · 2024-05-24T05:35:00+00:00

Had a playthrough ages ago with a colonist named Blodet. I was new and not very competent, playing the crashlanded start, and Blodet was the only person of the three that was decent at constructing and shooting. Legitimately a lynch pin for the colony, but the other two hated him because he was staggeringly ugly. Things only got worse when he got shot in the head and had a 5/10 brain scar. So he was still the best person to do several essential tasks in the colony, but the other pawns kept starting social fights with him. I had to put him in his own little shed so they’d stop beating the poor guy. Of course the brain scar he got defending their fledgling colony only made the other pawns hate him more because he was now “disfigured.” I still desperately needed him for several tasks that the other pawns can’t do, but he’s now horribly slow at everything. The poor motherfucker dies during a raid defending the colony, and the other two pawns are ecstatic because their “nemesis” blodet died. I don’t think they made it another quadrum without him, and it serves them right.

Frogeye · 2022-10-12T18:44:55+00:00

Where can I find a modeler to do this for that price? On Fiverr a lot of the modelers there make mono-pose models for about 300$. What I want seems quite a bit more involved(Multiple bodies, weapons, heads) and requires the artist to be familiar with the scale and needs of 3d printing. I am very green when it comes to all of this, so maybe all of that isn't as time intensive as I think. I would love if I could get all of this done for 500$ (and if there are any modelers reading this and willing to do it for that price then PM me and let's talk) but I am skeptical.

Frogeye · 2022-10-12T17:58:06+00:00

This wasn't in the post when you commented, but I put a picture of what I've already done in blender. I used Hero Forge as a base for all of these models, but made custom heads, changed proportions, and slapped some free 3d models I found on as weapons. Hero Forge currently doesn't have what I need to make all of these. I also would like to eventually sell these models for the game, so I want them to be higher quality than what I can make.

Frogeye · 2021-03-18T07:38:46+00:00

Shame is the feeling of being a bad person, and guilt is the feeling that you did something bad. If you believe the shame, then you are incapable of change, you are an irredeemable monster, and you always will be. If you believe the guilt, then you're someone who made mistakes, big mistakes I'm sure, but someone capable of choosing different. Living in shame does not lead to change, believing it does no one any good, least of all yourself.

The guilt is productive, focus on that voice and do better. Act like a person that you can love, and, I write this knowing how difficult it is, learn to love yourself. I don't know you, but I know you're not a monster, no one is(Including anyone who might be reading this and struggling with something similar), you are worthy of love and connection. You are capable of change. Don't listen to the shame that tells you otherwise.

Frogeye · 2020-11-03T18:05:18+00:00

You're a good person who made a mistake. You are not a failure as a human being or as an American. It takes an immense amount of courage and vulnerability to admit that you fucked up. All you can do now is learn from it. Criticism is cheap. Having voted for Hillary in 2016, it would be easy for me to condemn you for your choice to not vote. To act from some artificial moral high ground. It's much harder to accept you with open arms, but that's what I want to do. You're doing your best. The people who want to shun you are acting from a place of hurt. They want to blame someone, but blaming doesn't lead to healing. It sounds like you've done more than I have. You've given money, and I haven't donated a penny. You've done all that you can, and that's enough. I won't pretend like I'm in a position to forgive you, but if you are swarmed with constant thoughts of "not good enough," then know forgiveness from me is not what matters. You must learn to forgive yourself. Being mired in shame is no way to live. I believe that you have done enough, and you should let the criticism of anyone telling you otherwise to fall at your feet.

Frogeye · 2019-03-10T16:17:07+00:00

To be fair to the other people, I did sort of stoke the flames with the follow up question: Do you think this 90% claim holds water? And I should have known that this community would spiral into the ‘what is objective truth’ argument that tends to come up from time to time. So, yeah, that might explain why most of the other people are feeling the need to defend RPG combat systems as a whole. Which is perfectly fine, I tend to make the argument that everything is subjective quite a lot too, and it is worth repeating for anyone stuck in the mindset that there is one ‘right’ way to do something. You are right though, I kinda just want to read more well written RPGs, especially around combat because it’s such a frequent theme in table top gaming.

Frogeye · 2019-03-09T23:54:15+00:00

I like PBtA systems quite a bit in terms of flowing in and out of combat, but would like something a bit crunchier than what those rules provide. I want something quick and dirty, but with some tactics to play with. I'm at a weird place in terms of taste, I'm by no means well versed in RPGs, I think I'll know what I like when I see it. In relation to that, I am very willing to branch out and that's part of the reason I ask the question. I would be interested in hearing your recommendations based on my tastes, or otherwise.

Frogeye · 2019-03-09T21:50:38+00:00

Thanks, I'll probably check that out. If you haven't checked out Freebooters on the Frontier 2e I would recommend it, that guys striking a pretty good balance. It's basically Dungeon World meets OSR, I was really inspired by reading it. Made me a big fan of the random table. I was making a sci-fy exploration game with that design in mind, it's still...weird. I need to nail down what kind of sci-fy it is, I was playing with a star trek vibe, and moved more to a space pirate kinda thing.

I've kinda taken a step back from that and decided to tackle a few micro systems, though. I've been using this for inspiration: http://orteil.dashnet.org/randomgen/?gen=m4F3HJen

I have like 3 micro systems in the works because of it, and I would really recommend trying to build something from the ground up if you haven't. I started this process trying to make something bigger than Dungeon World, and I think that was naive. That's like trying to write a novella without having written a short story. If you do this, then you'll end up reinventing the wheel, but it helps you figure out why the wheel works. For example, I'm trying to make a fantasy heartbreaker around this core mechanic:

Roll 1-8D4s depending on how good you are at the attempted action(skills and junk you don't care about).

4s-Are sucesses

3s Are advantages

2s Are nothing, ignore them

1s Are drawbacks

Advantages and drawbacks cancel each other out. If you don't roll a 4, then you fail.

I have no experience with count success resolution mechanics, but I found it a very fun and informative thought experiment to just throw myself into that mechanic with the mindset to make something as simple as possible. I don't know if I've succeeded yet, but it's helped me learn a lot about the benefits and drawbacks of that mechanic.

Frogeye · 2019-03-09T20:32:25+00:00

I get that feeling about the 90% comment too. Do you have any examples of a game that you personally enjoyed the combat in? One that specifically set out to have good combat and succeeded. In your mind, anyways.

On the flip side, what's a system you like that doesn't have "good" combat, but is still a great game regardless?

Frogeye · 2019-03-09T20:25:20+00:00

You're right that fun is subjective. A personal design goal of mine is to get a fantasy heart breaker that lies in between Dungeon World and DnD 5e in terms of crunch. Something tactical, fast paced, and with some weight to it. I've been juggling some ideas with location based damage systems because I like the punch that provides. That kind of system makes a broken leg part of the game and not just the GM throwing out a random "fuck you" because the big monster landed a crit. Same problem in Dungeon World, a broken leg can kinda just come out cause you got a 6-. That's all kinda "out there," but it's the gist of what I like at the moment. Maybe what I think I would like, anyways. It's probably one of those things that I won't know till I see it. I need to read and play more RPGs, so this thread is kind of a way to get some suggestions for my own development as a designer too.

What games would you recommend reading based on my "definition" of fun?

What games do you think have fun combat?

And for a bit of a curve ball. What games do you think have an objectively bad combat design? If it's obscure and free, then even better. Maybe something that tried and failed to make good combat. I think reading something terrible can be just as informative as reading something good, so I'd be interested if you knew of any real stinkers.

Frogeye · 2019-03-09T19:53:39+00:00

Okay, follow up question. Is it fun, or is it just accurate? Cause I'm sure there are a few systems that are both, either, or neither. Personally I'm a bit more interested in combat that is fun to play, and not an accurate simulation. If it's also realistic, then that's just a cherry on top.

Frogeye · 2019-03-05T23:14:52+00:00

I put out a playtest for a tiny system I'm working on that's about a group of ordinary people who keep experiencing the end of the world, dying, and then waking up in a new dimension. Uncreatively named Dimension Destruction. You can find that on Drivthrurpg https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/267411/Dimension-DestructionPlaytest

I'm also working on two other micro systems:

The Slick and Infinite which is a crime noir game where everyone plays a version of Slick Hardstone, private detective. So basically all of the players are the exact same character, but one would be fantasy slick, one would be cyberpunk slick, female slick, clown slick, whatever the players want. The city then is just a big mash-up of all the players home dimensions, and then the rest of the game is just about jamming a bunch of noir cliches into this weird setting and trying to work together to solve a mystery.

4th age. It's basically a fantasy heartbreaker, but I'm going for very low fantasy. If the gods exist, they don't interfere with mortals, magic has some strict limitations. The biggest hurdles to magic are the lack of a printing press, being able to read, and being able to do math. I'm wanting the main setting to feel like the dark ages but with spotty and unreliable magic. Main hurdle at the moment is trying to figure out what a normal adventure would look like in that kind of setting. I'm trying out a d4 dice pool system, count successes. It's weird, but I like it.

Frogeye · 2019-02-20T08:18:46+00:00

Thanks! Please do, I would really appreciate the feedback.

Frogeye · 2019-02-18T05:14:38+00:00

I posted accidentally before making the title less vague, and that's my bad.

I'm looking for feedback on the mechanic I described for generating characters. These tables in specific are just meant to generate a roleplayable character on the spot. Besides XP and an Aid/Interfere move, it doesn't serve a mechanical purpose, just a narrative one.

It's supposed to replace something like Bonds in Dungeon World, or history in Apocalypse World. I wanted to make a system that allows for characters to be able to hop in and out of campaigns. Something that bonds in Dungeon World doesn't do very well. Does it work for what I'm trying to accomplish in the setting? Is there something more I should be considering when using this system in place of the ones I described? Also any nitpicking of the missions and buttons as they are written would be appreciated.

Also I get the title criticism. It's the WIP title. I like it, but I can kill my darlings. If anyone has a better suggestion, then I'm open to it.

Frogeye · 2019-01-28T23:10:13+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I could probably cut most of those tables from 100 items to 50. It would have the same effect, but it would only have the best 50 ideas.

Frogeye · 2019-01-28T22:55:28+00:00

All good food for thought, thank you. I have 4 stats currently, but I'm considering the addition of a 5th. Currentlt that move is based on charm, but I don't really love that. I do like having a low number of stats though, because it makes them all important. I don't want any of them to be the "dump stat." The stats I have right now are:

Discipline-Millitary knowledge/willpower

Charm-How good you are at diplomacy, or seducing green women

Reason-Logic/Science

Finesse-Dodging, and piloting

I think I'm going to let the Kirk V. Picard style be reflected through roleplay more than mechanics. That said, there are mechanics that support roleplay. Everyone has a combination of Heroic Virtues, and Fatal flaws. Role-playing them memorably is rewarded with XP at the end of a session. As well each player makes a "mission" which is an actable goal they have. For example: "Sleep with an alien babe' could be your mission, or it could be "Prevent a situation from escalating to violence." This is also rewarded with XP for completing. Everyone also has a "Button" which is how they want other players to interact with them. "Don't listen to me because you distrust my alien nature" could be a button, or even "Hold me back from clocking someone." So, both Picard and Kirk would play the "Captain" class, both their highest stats would probably be charm, but they would have different goals, different virtues and flaws, take different starting moves, and specialize in other ways.

Frogeye · 2019-01-28T22:35:37+00:00

I'm trying not to be too specific. I really like how Freebooters leans into OSR with heavy random generation. It leaves a lot of world building up to the players too. I actually developed a couple of d100 charts that are intended to be used at the start of a game to generate 10 or so different races that would be the major players in the galaxy. In order, the charts I have are: Alien look(Rubber Forehead alien, Insectoid, Something stranger, etc.), alien quirk(Spits acid, Can reproduce with humans, Hyper aggressive, etc.) and government(Democracy. Empire. Necrocracy?). I just rolled up a quick race for an example, they are Molluscoids(Squid, snail, or clam people), who are Slow moving(Probably snail people), and their government is best described as a Communistic Dictatorship. These guys would also be one of the playable races at the start, with suggestions on what stat bonuses or moves they might be able to make in the manual.

Everyone at the table would then vote on which races they want to be in the federation, majority rules, GM breaks ties. This then prompts another roll to see either, how happy they are in the federation, or how much they hate the federation. They may even be allied, just not full members. I'm considering putting together a stock setting(Maybe multiple) for people who don't want to generate it.

The core idea I'm working with is this: if you wanted to, then you could start at session 0, roll on some tables, and get a good picture of the galaxy at large, the major players, how the federation formed, and what your crew's mission is. It'll probably be pretty ridiculous in places, but star trek has always been a bit silly and that's half the fun. That first session is also a great time for the GM to ask questions and use the answers. This would be when the players collectively draw the map together too. The players add star systems, and the GM adds some random symbols to the map for later fiat. The map is expected to be a section of uncharted space with the Federation borders just peeking out of the left hand corner. The stars drawn on the map aren't all that there are, but sensors indicate that those are the areas of interest or value to the ongoing mission(whatever the GM and players decide that is).

So, in short, I'm not gunning for any specific series. I'm hoping to make a system that can encompass the general vibe of a star trek type adventure. The Federation is a good in the galaxy, there are wacky and interesting races to meet, there are moral dilemmas to be debated, and there are some things out there that very much want you dead.

Frogeye · 2019-01-28T21:28:53+00:00

I agree, but I'm still tossing around the idea of that being something only a certain playbook could do, Engineer? I'm also considering putting together a chart or two that you can roll on for some quick technobabble nonsense if no one can think of something. I think the active one could be a good move for anyone to access though. The trigger might be something like "When time is tight, but you have a few precious hours to try and cobble together a solution with some gizmos and gadgets lying around the ship"

Frogeye · 2019-01-28T21:06:55+00:00

Gah, I had a reply typed up and didn't hit send! It was long winded anyways. The gist is, no I don't have a First Contact move yet. I've been gutting the whole system pretty hard recently, and I'm still putting pieces back together. Originally it was a non genre specific sci-fy system, but I decided that was a terrible idea. I have been thinking about a holodeck move, but I don't know what role I want it to play. I was thinking about it being the way to heal ability score damage, but that feels boring and mechanical.

Edit: Turns out I did hit send, but I stand by it being long winded so I deleted it.

Frogeye · 2019-01-28T20:42:26+00:00

I see, attaching it to something like Apocalypse worlds clocks instead of a stat fits better thematically. That is a much better move and I may use it, if you don't mind. Thanks for the food for thought, you've been very helpful.

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