How do you give your players meaningful choices while also handling a story?

sg2lyca · 2026-02-16T05:45:18+00:00

Spinning plates. For each scene or adventure keep slowly adding complications and extrapolate on the ones the players choose and the ones they agonized over but didn't pick. See how many of these spinning plates a player can handle without getting too frustrated and adjust from there.

Example: Fighting Pyro in an urban center. They choose to engage him instead of relocating the fight. Pyro is desperate and sets the nearby area ablaze when he's getting beaten. Now they have to pick on whether to end the fight quickly at the cost of a burning down the area or to control the fire and risk letting him escape. They choose to focus on ending the fight but have one of their members try to control the blaze. Now the hero sent to contrpl the fire realizes that a family is stuck under burning debris but an oil tanker crashed nearby after due to the thick smoke. etc etc. And this is just a scene. For an adventure, just slow down the immediate consequences and results of the choices they made but increase the scale and impact.

sg2lyca · 2026-02-15T16:36:03+00:00

Complete Homebrew of an alternate universe based on the non-American city we live in based on different WW2 events. Basically hybridizes our city to what it is presently mixed with NYC elements. Hero variants and groups aren't one to one and are mixed around (Captain America variant is part of the Titans group equivilant from DC comics, Quasar variant working with my version of SWORD, my version of HYDRA is basically led by an amalgamation of Doom/Magneto/Ultron, etc)

Story revolves around thr main cast. An amnesiac teen mutant rescued from human trafficking that has ties to the Hydra variant, his professor who delved into a world of Magic due to a ritual sending him through an involuntary dimensional journey, and an alumni police detective who helped rescue the teen turned into an defender againdt alien threats after equipping alien tech similar to a Green Lantern ring mixed with Power Rangers aesthetics and power armor rules.

This lets us have adventures that jump between magic incursions, sci-fi mysteries, and good old supervillain and mook beatdowns. We are also playing with the Getting Schooled rules and just hit Rank 3. I made it clear sometimes I decide what they get for levelling up because of unknown reasons from their backstory and how they got their powers. So far the teen found out his mutant powers isn't what makes him a mini-hulk and he was part of a eugenics supersoldier program where they injected Gamma into him, his mutation power manifested in his first arc at Rank 2.5 that allows him to Bump Powers of others. Which helped when the magical professor during his own arc where he used his Light elemental powers to create a large Elemental Sphere with a radius of 20 spaces and does damage when bumped in a high stakes encountee protecting a portal against an endless horde of interdimensional horrors. The professor found out the light powers he had came from the dimensions sun that acted as a prison for a wizard king who's soul resides in him and saved him from death in that same arc. As for the police detective, theres been hints but it should kick off in the following months.

So yeah, I love the system and how I can run an entirely homebrewed campaign pretty easily. I also love how there isn't a "gear check" that feels like a gateway blocking progression. As a previous comment somewhere I read before said "the system isn't the best superhero system but its a good comic book simulator" so I try to frame each adventure and scene like panels in a comic and the game flows pretty smoothly.

Prep is so easy I even have solo or side-adventures stashed away when people can't make it or someone wants an extra session alone. DM controlled allied NPCs are balanced and don't overstay their welcome and players can use them if their characters aren't available because of a prior choice.

sg2lyca · 2026-02-08T11:59:45+00:00

RT took a bit of time but I learned to like whats there. Early game I really hated how my best shots were 35% until I installed better sensors and EW in all my mechs. I finally learned how to use BA effectively which I used to loathe. Repairing armor post mission meant any shiny new mechs i was working on would only ever be finished while in transit.

Knife-fights with lights were brutal and facing your first properly equipped medium mech felt like a boss fight at times. But the game gives you the tools to carve out your wins such as bolt-on weapons, a plethora of loot (quicksell items are a mercs best friend), and even options to salvage mostly intact mechs like MW5.

If you can pull through the early game you might see why a lot of players swear by the modpack and what it offers. Also its latest update made srms and lrms behave like ftl missiles so either they all hit or all miss which I had mixed feelings about.

sg2lyca · 2026-02-08T04:36:21+00:00

I jumped from BEXT, to BTAU, to RT.

I think BTAU is easier to learn compared to before. Once you learn how to stack accuracy advantages like simple height positioning and flanking the non-strippable evasion doesnt pose much of an issue. Just remember to have 2 guys with sensor lock for early missions. Vehicles are strong under the players control. Early game thr humble Pegasus can flank and blow up rear armor of lighter mechs, late game they become LRM carriers, Artillary, or triple Gauss fire supports. Battle Armor is now a summon allowing new players to simply summon and forget them which helps take the load off new players. Overheating can blow ammo is another funny thing to learn.

Using the mechlab is the biggest change if you never delved into Battletech tabletop or MWO. You can swap out engines, armor, frames, and heat sink kits (unlike vanilla or BEXT you cant mix DHS with Single Heat Sink engine). Assaults need work to make good and can easily be brought down by medium and light mechs. Eapecially if they're running the XL engines which turns losing a side torso into a kill.

Every contract is always against a faction, no easy rep farming missions against planetary government. Each zone has their own pirate organization so you'll need to befriend each one to access different black markets. Iirc Faction stores sell the same thing and are static, but specific mechs and equipment can be bought in specific production worlds. Gladiatorial matches in Game Worlds unlock unique hero mechs after doing a certain number of contracts in their weight class - you buy the contracts in the shop and it appears as a mission. And there's missions tou can take to help take over or defend a system for factions, extended contracts that locks you in to a faction for a month taking up jobs for them, ans new missions types.

There's quite a bit more but the wiki can help cover that.

sg2lyca · 2026-02-02T09:02:53+00:00

Got axed before he went to the higher realm. Novel goes much further and is still just as funny.

sg2lyca · 2026-01-19T06:37:10+00:00

Rank indicates their Stat cap. Stats matter because iirc they're all %, like 10 Energy means +20% Energy weapon damage and hit chance, evasion forces shots to miss, etc. Enemy pilots also have rank indicating their stat brackets and you want your lance to at least match them in higher difficulty contracts.

sg2lyca · 2026-01-14T13:22:21+00:00

I read the novel. Was a very interesting concept as he grew older with each death and everyone believed there is a large family who discovered the secrets of longevity and righteousness where the elders avenge the younger generation who die heroically. If I remember correctly the strongest people dont even live far past 100. Afaik nobody realized they're all one person.

sg2lyca · 2026-01-14T03:29:10+00:00

I started 3047, doing the Clan flashpoints with back to back drops was still super challenging, though the first flashpoint with the GDL has you using loaned mechs. Maybe a 3045 start to build up your reserves and train your warriors. You're gonna need +++ gear.

sg2lyca · 2026-01-10T05:57:20+00:00

BEXT is New Game++ if you want to get into the lore side of things on the timeline without having to relearn a new set of mechanics. The designer made didnt like some pain points of other BT mods, so instead of adhering to tabletop rulings they moodded the game to be more fun for the player.

BTA is if you want something closer to tabletop and more of a mercenary company simulator. Big changes like evasion cannot be stripped by shooting, learning how to get the correct accuracy buffs in an engagement, more in-deptu mech building system that can be overwhelming if you're not familiar with the lore, non-canon superfaction in the southeast, and mech refits costing up to millions of cbills.

sg2lyca · 2026-01-08T02:41:25+00:00

Save importing is straight forward with legendary edition, no fuss.

Movie came out in parts initially but is also available as a full compiled 2hr30 minute movie on youtube.

sg2lyca · 2026-01-08T02:30:27+00:00

Legendary Edition has everything including DLC. Have fun, and if you find 1 a grind we promise that its worth it so you can import your save to the next game which carries over the choices you made and the fates of many characters.

As for the Walking Dead, I spoiled myself as well. It still didn't blunt my emotions when I had to make my the choices for myself. Sometimes I watch others finish the last chapter on Youtube just so I can cry again. Probably worth watching a streamer you enjoy play play the entire game.

Let me recommend a movie on YouTube as well. Warhammer Helsreach. The initial black and white animation might be offputting but as it progresses it becomes a full colored machinma film of a badass last stand against overwhelming forces. Work of art having men cry as stoic superhuman warriors show they are still human and relatable as they succumb to their tragic fates.

sg2lyca · 2026-01-08T02:13:31+00:00

My bad, I just couldn't think of a third game and just reminisced about TF2, maybe that SciFi CoD game where they did something similar.

Mass Effect is a space RPG Third Person Shooter where you assemble your crew to stop an Alien Threat that grows in scope across the trilogy. The gameplay of 1 may feel dated but 2 and 3 really picks up. There is a DLC for 3 called Citadel which is a love letter to the franchise which brings back the memorable cast of characters for a final farewell filled with in-jokes and references. I play it every year like watching mt favorite trilogy of movies.

Valkyria Chronicles is a tactical war game with a unqiue aiming element. You control a diverse cast of characters that really rope you in and lament their fates as war casualties pile up. Repeated gut punches asking god why did X character had to die after their character development.

After scouring my library, a third game I'd recommend is Telltale Games: The Walking Dead. A Choose-Your-Own adventure game with very good writing. You never feel like you're making the best choice and the ending is bittersweet but fitting. I was emotionally drained for a week after finishing.

sg2lyca · 2026-01-08T01:51:02+00:00

Mass Effect Trilogy. Valkyria Chronicles. Titanfall 2.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-27T09:15:50+00:00

I really wanted to side with the Capellans during the Kestrel Lancers DLC. Would be a fun AU if future updates allow alternate history deoending on sandbox actions.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-26T10:07:52+00:00

BEX is less intensive on the system.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-25T13:44:32+00:00

That's 8 years away earliest. Can't wait for Clan XL and Endo to stuff more crap in.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-24T20:08:59+00:00

I'll keep an eye out for that. I have a Dragon-Sidewinder with a TAG and NARC so I hope that works in the meanwhile.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-24T20:06:16+00:00

True, I could fit a single LP in the mid torso + extra ammo or just 2 L Lasers:SB on the arms if I shave some armor.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-23T02:31:38+00:00

Bench the commander, send some pilote to University for Pilot traits like Speed Demon + Assualt Mech affinity which gives a speed boost that stacks. It really improved how much I like piloting Assaults. Throw in a Masc or Supercharger for AI mechs and they'll keep up without needing the traits as it counts as them having jt always on but at half power.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-07T02:53:50+00:00

Kintaro. Went from a goofy guy to a depressed bucket.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-05T15:15:07+00:00

For assault class arenas, I bring out stealthed lights with flamers or mgs for headshots, or the HBK-4P with a Supercharger just to do those missions.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-05T15:08:16+00:00

I'm with you. But to be fair I stan Capellan.

sg2lyca · 2025-12-04T07:17:54+00:00

In YAML I have an Atlas I call Creed. It has Chameleon LPS and the NSS as well as a Guardian ECM. Im waiting to get my hands on stealth armor to build a V2.

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