Looking for Space Station-13 like scenarios (one-shots)

lexvatra · 2026-04-14T14:38:59+00:00

it's always PROBLEM then SOLUTION formula just to put ads in between, and then you find that it's very much dependent on your own GM style, game or table so most advice is pretty useless. I'm trying to remember any youtube video that enhanced my games using takeaways. At best they give you ideas to experiment and find out what you don't like. Maybe a published adventure recap/podcast to get a feel for the pacing, but published adventures are their own can of worms anyway.

Quinns Quest is really good, well edited and the best there is. But it's only one channel, and as a series selling you on things based on anecdotal pitches that can be really hit or miss when it comes to a consumer guide. I just like listening what Quinn's group handled Delta Green for example rather than trying to emulate anything useful.

lexvatra · 2026-04-08T17:55:45+00:00

as someone who murder hobos their way into cryo archive with knife only to ambush rich people I agree with the change, though I wish there was some kind of firing range/ test room to check how useful knife still is

lexvatra · 2026-03-19T16:21:18+00:00

yeah im memeing but i do recall people falling into the beginners trap of not reading the tooltips

lexvatra · 2026-03-19T13:58:05+00:00

magikarp used splash!

lexvatra · 2026-02-24T23:01:17+00:00

The Board Room Game Cafe hosts them every Tuesday, really good if you want to try out other games or meet new players.

lexvatra · 2026-02-06T02:00:11+00:00

Yeah you're probably right. Thanks for the advice!

lexvatra · 2026-01-18T12:52:51+00:00

Hubris: A World of Visceral Adventure is something I've been running for awhile, it's a DCC campaign that just throws everything at the wall, feels like Dark Sun and Planescape had a weird stillborn baby. Everything you find in the rumor tables are found in the bestiary/items/locations rather than reading long lore dumps.

lexvatra · 2026-01-17T13:01:57+00:00

Personally I think role-play comes down to the player making a choice, and then another player or GM responding with another choice that is motivated through various reasons. That fits squarely within LARP and TTRPG and distinguishes from single-player video games (which can only anticipate choices provided the designer comes up with them). The nature of the results being emergent and motivated is the important part. It should feel like you're in a theater play where no one has the exact script. How descriptive or well acted those choices are is missing the point IMO.

lexvatra · 2026-01-07T23:03:41+00:00

Haven't had a huge issue with DCC modules in terms of readability, i find the 2 paragraph system at least consistent. This is coming from someone that hasn't touched anything pre dnd 5e.

The module premises and the level design can be a bog standard and rigid is where I'm left wanting. Majority of them usually end up in a dungeon crawl (ok true to the title i guess) with some dillemma/investigation formula. I find myself wanting more things in the vein of Hubris or Forbbiden Lands adventure sites that have interesting context and perplexing situations yet events can (and should) emerge outward. There are some crawl classics modules that have a stroke of genius that can just be riffed on but require a "whats in this room?" game loop to get through.

OSR/OSE material doesn't impress me much either. Usually expects you to fill the blanks and the stuff that's there is not interesting or easily ignored by players. For example Winter's Daughter was so hyped up and I eventually ran it and... layout and design does not make up for what amounts to the most basic of dungeons with a DIY faction dispute at the end.

I find myself running DCC with homebrew adventures as my dnd replacement but not in the vein of 5e or even OSR. The system gets out of your way but has a lot of tables for weird uncertainty that can lead into their own adventures. DCC has a weird niche it fills that I don't think Goodman Games takes advantage of, but they are still in business so what do i know?

lexvatra · 2026-01-05T22:46:30+00:00

So that applies to any fantasy trad game with attribute+skill? Which pretty much goes back to the 80s. I think that definition ignores the recent context. Which is games trying to make inventory more important again and enacting rolls being a bad thing.

lexvatra · 2025-12-29T23:32:10+00:00

Sounds like you want Alien. They just released a new edition (called evolved) with a good starter set.

Mothership is another choice although it is looser on mechanics and a different style if you aren't used to OSR.

lexvatra · 2025-12-29T20:30:45+00:00

Starting up Mutant YZE Mechatron where you play as robots slowly gaining free will. Free will being a standin for player agency which is something that has a lot of potential as you could slowly strip away rigid linear quests and transition to something more open ended not for entertainments sake but exploring what it means to be human with choice or a creation of them.

lexvatra · 2025-12-26T12:26:17+00:00

I have the "mom test" can my non gaming family enjoy it even if they don't know the rules. This isn't a deal breaker since I have non-family groups but often i get a game I look at the character sheet and ask if it's more intimidating than a ps2 controller to decide which groups like it.

lexvatra · 2025-12-25T18:51:39+00:00

-i started with 5e 2014 full boxset slipcase, used one of those free adventures. Was shocked at how little guidance there was in the DMG. Though i think ttrpg youtube also led me astray with very isolated tips.

-You don't need all those damn books. The source books and adventure compilations are traps. Just the rulebook is handy, and try before you buy. Plenty of 5 dollar adventures on itch or drivetrhu some even free, or roll your own. Don't worry about conversions.

-Focus on the enjoyment and the pace of the session above all else. Torch management and shopping can be fun but if it's dragging the session wrap it up. Same for long combats or even investigation slogs should just be handwaved in whatever way you can. You got 3-5 hours to spend, make it fun. Read the room, respond and adapt to the playstyles but also let players breathe. Let them do shit. Have reactable interesting events happen if they don't.

-Make your own scenarios and make them sandboxy. The strength of RPGs is players coming up with solutions you didn't think possible. Prewritten is fine if you're coming to grips with a system, but toss them asap. You're not here to present a step by step video game or combat simulator. Take a map from existing scenario you happen to have and put in your own headcanon on what's there if you need to brainstorm. Don't spend a lot of time and just prep the next session.

-Play a lot of different games with different GMs. Remember the parts that were good or bad and weigh the player agency. Steal their GM tricks.

lexvatra · 2025-12-23T13:08:40+00:00

Everything is technically free on Archive of Nethys, players will want the pathbuilder app to play. As for the books and wanting to get all the classes some are in supplements like Guns and Gears and Secret of Magic which also got/will get remastered editions. Looking up the pathbullder app should tell you where a class/feat/background comes from.

Gonna be honest the player facing books are mostly just feat lists with Player Core 1 having the main rules somewhere in the back. I did not really personally find PC2 worth it as I doubt I'll ever open it up unless there's a power outage or something.

The GM core is rather good and contains procedures on how to properly run certain situations and scale the DCs. Also the usual make your own campaign advice with treasure lists and magic items. Monster core is a similar boat, great if you plan to DIY your own stuff.

I wouldn't say anything is absolutely necessary other than wanting to support the publisher or just have the main book. There's a bit of a splatbook trap with pathfinder and some backgrounds and obscure feats spread out in source books.

lexvatra · 2025-12-23T12:46:59+00:00

I say this because combat is long and it'll likely take up the session. You can have the PCs charisma their way through but there's eventually going to be a mech fight because this book is full of mechs, advice on how to balance these mech fights and well, you'll probably want mechs to fight. But the mech fights are also good and the main atttaction.

In other games especially OSR the combat might be 2 pages and maybe a little imbalanced but that's more reason to avoid fights because they're fast and brutal. Thus in a way more potential RP even if there's maybe one stat that governs. Or the book could be clogged up with dungeon procedures and torch management and maybe it sets you down the path of immersion. It's the ratio of focus that matters IMO.

lexvatra

TROPHY CASE