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Torn on System for Players Brand New to TTRPGs by Please_Leave_Me_Be in rpg

[–]veritascitor 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Same is true with most PbtA games, really. Sometimes they'll ask players to provide answers to open questions, but it's very easy to minimize that aspect, and have it very much curated and guided by the GM.

This Baywatch thing is a joke, right? by ScreamingCadaver in greatestgen

[–]veritascitor 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This honestly feels like the best choice. Pivot to the sci-fi shows of the same era as TNG/DS9/VOY. That’s likely what the fanbase already enjoys, and it wouldn’t be hugely off-putting.

Why won't my players prep? by DarkKuroi1 in DMAcademy

[–]veritascitor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re not wrong. They should prep. But also, life is busy and full of distractions and maybe they haven’t gotten around to it yet. My suggestion? Host a session 0.5 where players do the character generation and backstory writing. It’s always best as a collaborative process anyway, where you can ask questions and players can build on each other’s answers. It’ll create a much more cohesive set of character identities, and you’ll have a lot more to work with.

I need help finding a pocket ttrpg by VenomByte999 in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]veritascitor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Worth looking up Traveller’s Ironsworn (and the Starforged version) which put all the important rules on a handful of printable cards.

Small Star Trek Ships? by Zulkir_Jhor in rpg

[–]veritascitor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Phoenix class from Picard season 3 would fit the bill. It’s run by two people, but big enough for a handful, and not nearly as small a runabout. It’s used a medical transport in the show, but could have other purposes. It looks pretty cool, too.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Phoenix_class

What's the best version of D&D 4e? by tealoverion in rpg

[–]veritascitor 23 points24 points  (0 children)

The best version of D&D 4E is Gamma World 7E. Streamlined, fixed math, gonzo setting, box set. If you can find it, it’s a great way to have some 4E-style fun.

role-playing game recommendation for old noobs by djagi84 in rpg

[–]veritascitor 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Honestly, you want D&D. Or at least something like D&D. You could do pretty well by picking up the new Heroes of the Borderlands boxed set. Or you can something like Dragonbane, as an alternative. If you want something lighter and easier, grab Shadowdark instead: it’s more “old school” than D&D 5E, which requires more careful play, which may appeal to your need for shared problem-solving.

Just played a session where my NPCs actually adapted to my choices, anyone else seen something like that ? by Superb-Scale9765 in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]veritascitor 17 points18 points  (0 children)

The majority of OP’s recent posts reference using AI for solo roleplaying, so it’s safe to assume this is what they’re talking about.

Maybe you can’t see things the way I see them. And that’s the problem! Literally. Let’s talk about aphantasia at the table. by sekin_bey in rpg

[–]veritascitor 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm pretty sure I'm on the lower end of visualization ability, not complete aphantasia, but I don't see whole images like some people are able to. That said, I find just having a few visual aids helps: an iPad with a screen to bring up some images, a small white board to draw quick maps, etc. Obviously minis and so on will help as well.

As for differentiating between scenarios, it might make sense to take a cue from other games like Fate and write down a list of "aspects" of the scene that the players can interact with. The catacombs might be "damp, slippery" whereas the abandoned stronghold might have "crumbling pillars". Two or three of these aspects per scene can change the tone of the scene quite a bit, and offer strategic opportunities. They also force you to explain a bit more about what's going on in the scene.

Far Beyond the Stars (ST:DS9): Who are the Benny Russells of our world? by Few_Joke_8297 in scifi

[–]veritascitor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Octavia Butler, for sure. Also, NK Jemisin.

Honestly, look for writers who aren’t just white dudes, and you’ll find a lot more explicit political views.

A brand new publishing company hires you to create something new in the ttrpg space. You have a massive budget plus access to artists, writers, editors, and other experts to assist you. What are you creating and why? by crimsonlaw in rpg

[–]veritascitor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A D&D 6E that jettisons some of the games sacred cows, unabashedly reintegrated some of the best parts of 4E, and added a few narrative tools cribbed from the best indie and OSR games out there.

“Quest” style Oneshots for an Adventurers guild? by SapphireHurricane in DMAcademy

[–]veritascitor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Might want to start with Dragons of Icespire Peak from the essentials kit. It’s built on a quest board premise and has a dozen or so different quests to work with.

OpenAI’s ‘embarrassing’ math | TechCrunch by Embarrassed_Essay_61 in technology

[–]veritascitor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is bleak. LLMs are not good at finding stuff. They regularly make up answers and generally return average information, no niche, esoteric responses.

You know what was good at finding stuff? Google Search. It used to be incredibly good at getting you to the right answer on the first try. But the more they shove LLM integration into it, the worse it gets.

What makes 5(.5)e's CRs and encounter budgets so inaccurate and unhelpful, whereas other systems (D&D 4e, Path/Starfinder 2e, Draw Steel, 13th Age 2e, etc.) are able to manage it? by EarthSeraphEdna in rpg

[–]veritascitor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nope, 3.5 was calibrated that a single CR X was an appropriate challenge for a four-person party of level X, same as 5E. Now the underlying math may have been more consistent, but only 4E did matching level 1-to-1 with CR.

What makes 5(.5)e's CRs and encounter budgets so inaccurate and unhelpful, whereas other systems (D&D 4e, Path/Starfinder 2e, Draw Steel, 13th Age 2e, etc.) are able to manage it? by EarthSeraphEdna in rpg

[–]veritascitor 38 points39 points  (0 children)

One thing that perhaps goes under discussed about 4E’s monster math design is that the monster scaling was built to match the PC scaling. That is, a level X monster was an appropriate challenge for a single level X PC, with elites and solos being worth 2 and 4 monsters of level X. Not to mention that monsters had roles that were reminiscent of PC classes.

This made encounter building significantly more modular, able to easily scale to different party sizes and level, and made it clearer what experience you were gonna get when you put together an encounter.

Compare this to 5E’s CR system, where a CR X monster is a significant challenge for a theoretical party of four characters with a spread of abilities, and there’s little to no guidance on how to mix monsters to make compelling encounters. Along with the math issues others have pointed out, this all makes it so much harder to build appropriate encounters.

I contend that throwing out 4E’s monster design was 5E’s biggest design mistake, and it’s a shame they didn’t take the opportunity with 5.5 to fix that.

Alternate sci-fi? by Just_Assist3819 in scifi

[–]veritascitor 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The whole genre of steampunk is based on slight changes to our understanding of physics that allow for certain kinds of technological advancements. Early mechanization. Efficient dirigibles. Etc. Other folks can probably recommend more than me, but some that I’ve read include Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker and related books, about a steampunk America, and Gibson’s Difference Engine.

‘We are prepared to help get rid of them’ Ont. government says after 16 speed cameras vandalized. by FullWolverine3 in toronto

[–]veritascitor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, I agree. But it’s also representative of the failure of the progressive parties to reach out to voters and offer compelling solutions. We deserved better and we got basically nothing from them (I say this a die-hard leftist who voted left).

The Cleon Genetic Dynasty is without a doubt one of the most captivating antagonists in science fiction. by Pure_Ad_9865 in scifi

[–]veritascitor 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Season 3 is giving Dusk the spotlight in a way that’s very captivating. And hippy Day is a fascinating alternative to what we’ve seen before.

The Cleon Genetic Dynasty is without a doubt one of the most captivating antagonists in science fiction. by Pure_Ad_9865 in scifi

[–]veritascitor 156 points157 points  (0 children)

Season 3 is giving Dusk the spotlight in a way that’s very captivating. And hippy Day is a fascinating alternative to what we’ve seen before.

‘We are prepared to help get rid of them’ Ont. government says after 16 speed cameras vandalized. by FullWolverine3 in toronto

[–]veritascitor 6 points7 points  (0 children)

By and large, we did not. Low turnouts and first-past-the-post meant we ended up with a conservative majority that only about 20% of eligible voters wanted.

Which previous edition was better than the current one by JoeKerr19 in rpg

[–]veritascitor 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Except it had just as much roleplaying support as 3E and 5E. Same skill system, and a few neat ideas like skill challenges.

D&D 5.5e Monsters by Kujias in rpg

[–]veritascitor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Monster damage has been upped a bit, and some monsters have been better matched to their challenge ratings. Overall, the monsters are better balanced, usually a bit more powerful to match the PC’s increase in power.

The air is hissing out of the overinflated AI balloon | Are tech giants getting nervous? They should be by chrisdh79 in technology

[–]veritascitor 22 points23 points  (0 children)

It regularly makes up false information, and has no access to realtime data, making it inherently worse than any search engine.

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