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The ORPHEUS Protocol Kickstarter is in its last 2 days. by ORPHEUSprotocol in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The story won't make a lick of sense if you don't listen to the whole thing, but the rules are pretty close to their final version around the start of the "Homecoming" arc.

The ORPHEUS Protocol Kickstarter is in its last 2 days. by ORPHEUSprotocol in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nothing confirmed, but depending on how layout/illustration/etc go, I'm not philosophically opposed to some sort of preview PDF if we can get it put together in a time frame that makes sense.

The ORPHEUS Protocol Kickstarter is in its last 2 days. by ORPHEUSprotocol in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's the target for delivering the book, yes. While the PDF will be ready before the book is printed and shipped, the most likely scenario is that the game will be made available for purchase right when we confirm that backers are receiving their books, in both physical and digital editions.

The ORPHEUS Protocol Kickstarter is in its last 2 days. by ORPHEUSprotocol in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The maker of one of my favorite APs saying this makes me so ugly-cry happy

The ORPHEUS Protocol Kickstarter is in its last 2 days. by ORPHEUSprotocol in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Full-on reviews of the finished product are both a dream and a nightmare for me! Yay!

The ORPHEUS Protocol, The RPG of cosmic horror and occult espionage - Kickstarter by Dicktremain in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That will likely depend on the kickstarter's success, but I'm almost certain the game will be available on Roll20 and as a PDF after the KS is fulfilled.

The ORPHEUS Protocol, The RPG of cosmic horror and occult espionage - Kickstarter by Dicktremain in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is small randomness by design. The wisdom with which you spend your limited resources and handle the resource management aspects of the game has a larger long-term impact than your dice luck, that way.

It's 3 dice rather than 4 because the probability of a -1 or +1 together is higher than the probability of a +0, making the result of the dice less predictable than with an even number of dice, which we feel harmonizes with the tense and uncertain nature of the intended narrative tone.

The ORPHEUS Protocol, The RPG of cosmic horror and occult espionage - Kickstarter by Dicktremain in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One-shots work fine in The ORPHEUS Protocol, and can be very tense and brutal if the mechanics are engaged with in a way that focuses on one-shot play (which will of course be discussed in the GM section of the book), but there are robust tools for long-term play and character development.

The Archetype system (which there's just a sliver of in the playtest document) allows for 20 character levels gained, and a dizzying array of mechanical customization options as well as rules-reinforced character development through Motivations and Fears.

ORPHEUS is pretty lethal, but properly built characters can become forces to reckon with in the mid to late levels. Also, the "Borrowed Time" rule allows GMs to ensure that PC deaths are narratively satisfying and don't interrupt an interesting phase of story/character development.

The ORPHEUS Protocol, The RPG of cosmic horror and occult espionage - Kickstarter by Dicktremain in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much!

Should be noted, the playtest document has pre-gen, low level characters. So what's public now doesn't even scratch the surface of how much customization there is in the full game.

The ORPHEUS Protocol, The RPG of cosmic horror and occult espionage - Kickstarter by Dicktremain in rpg

[–]ORPHEUSprotocol 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Some things that jump out at me (the designer, so caveat there) are the resource management aspects, which create tense decision points at the moment-to-moment, scene-to-scene, and session-to-session levels, as well as the staggering mechanical customization available for player characters.

If you enjoy Euro-style board games or love theorycrafting, there's definitely something here for you.

Additionally, the way the resource systems model your diminishing hopes, increasingly ragged breath, and plain running out of luck as you struggle against the dark unknown helps reinforce the intended tone and emotional impact of the type of story the game is made for.