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HollyKnight55

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About HollyKnight55

  • Birthday 07/31/1973

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  • Aspiring Writer

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  • RPG Biography
    Very Square, Wiccan
  • Current games
    Gaming, Barbershop
  • Location
    Atlantic Canada
  • Blurb
    Online Banking Tech Support

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  • Website URL
    http://web.mac.com/boghouse/iWeb/

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  1. My FLGS gets their shipments Wednesdays. Yesterday was Wednesday. They did not get it.
  2. I've read through most of the posts in this area, and I noticed they've slowed down. I hope it will be okay if I suggest something. A Fantasy world is harder to share, with no ground rules to follow. I think if you said "Dwarves are dwarves, elves are elves, don't go ridiculous, flesh it out" then it could be interesting. The Green, for example, is a great location. Honestly, though, I think SciFi would be easier. I'd go so far as to say it might be easier for a group to come up with a SciFi game than an individual. LOL To start, I'd pick up D20 Future or GURPS Space. I don't own the latter, but I'm assuming it's similar to GURPS Fantasy, which gives a fantastic overview of what to think about. First you go through all the listed "things to think about", and come up with a consensus of how things are going to go. FTL Travel? Stargates? Land gates? Jump engines? One solar system? One planet? Psychics - yes or no? Common or uncommon? AI or no? blah blah Then all this gets glued together, and the basic premise is agreed upon. I have to be honest and say I'm a fan of the "Empire on decline/fallen" concept. Then - this is where the real "shared" part comes in - each contributor comes up with their own race! A bit of detail on the home world, physical description and abilities, philosophy, approach to life, etc... With each race coming from a different person, they should have a different (ie alien) feel. Make it not our solar system, and say "Earth" is long lost. That way different people can have variations of humanity if they like. Now, how to avoid power mongers? A dozen unstopable warrior races? Super mental power unbalancing type races? They have to apply to be part of some kind of Inter Galactic Council - which means the other contributors are permitted to discuss and vote whether the race should be permitted to enter the game world. I know judging other people's work might seem harsh, but I'm a firm believer that putting something in just because somebody put work into it would result in mediocrity. Just a suggestion, short version (have to run). Throw it out, ignore it, maybe use part of it. Whatever.
  3. I've been thinking about how challenging it seems to be to create a successful Science Fiction RPG. In the end, I think it comes down to visuals. Have a great setting, or course, but we also need to know what the "aliens" are like. You can write a single paragraph that perfectly summarizes a race's looks, or write pages on looks & culture, but it will not have the same impact as good art. The same goes for spaceships. I likely wouldn't have much tactical fighter combat in a game I would run (although I might enjoy a separate space combat tabletop game), but I'd still like to see how the different ships look. I suppose that's why SciFi RPGs based on movies or shows do better. People already have those graphics in mind. As an aspiring writer, I feel jealous - and inferior - to an artist. Anyone can write, and I would think you'd have to be an awful good writer to convince an artist that is capable of writing for themselves to work with you instead. Even with a fantasy game - the art in Earthdawn (1st edition), for example, ABSOLUTELY sets the tone for the game. It feels both like familiar fantasy, and strangely alien, ancient and exotic. THAT was a great combination of artists and writers. Looking around, there are more writers begging for artists than the reverse. In truth, I think the two should be working together. An artist might start with what the writer comes up with, but will be inspired to throw some new stuff in there that in turn will inspire the writer. Man, I need to find a partner like that.
  4. I'm a bit surprised it's 2 to 1 FOR hit locations. Not that every player of the game is here, but still. I don't use them for a few reasons, one of the primary being the extra paperwork involved. In a combative centred game, maybe, but not my type of story telling. Also, the default determination seems random. Just roll some dice, it's where you happen to hit. Like a fighter has no real control. Then if you want to take fighter choice/aiming into consideration, it's yet another level of modifiers, debates, blah blah blah. All this so a character can lose an arm against their will. Pass.
  5. Not DragonPass, but I've started writing... something. I'll post more details when I have more of it on paper.
  6. You know, maybe I'm the odd man out, but I'm a bit sick of "originality" at this point. People come up with names that lack harmony, an absurd world that's "original", and they twist familiar stuff in an attempt to be "unique". <cough>Eladrin!?!?<cough> I'd like to see something a bit more familiar, but with a simple concept or story that makes it interesting. FASA's 1st ed. Earthdawn was beautiful. It had the familiar races plus a few new ones that weren't totally absurd, disciplines that covered most of what you'd want, then came up with a wonderful excuse for adventuring, dungeons, monsters, why the PCs became powerful, etc... You were given a certain degree of familiarity, then some new well written stories, and... GO!
  7. Well said. Personally, I'd like still not bother with it for NPCs.
  8. But how will it look when it's printed off? That's my concern, right down to the underlined spot where skill percentages go, etc... I look forward to seeing it. Thanks for the offer.
  9. It is a bit of a bummer to think that my BRP characters are never going to have a real pretty character sheet. For example: I do not want a hit location chart, depending on the game I may or may not want an EDU stat, and the exact skill list is going to vary by game as well. If I want something pretty, I'm going to have to learn how to make PDFs I guess.
  10. I would think some things wouldn't require a roll at all (ie the peasants all likely know the kings name). As for the obscurity of the other stuff, I personally would probably modify the PLAYER'S roll when they're using a skill aimed at peasants (ie presumably the peasants need to know this because some PC is talking to them). Otherwise, personally I'd probably look at 6-8 EDU for a peasant. Sure he may not know math, but he's been taught to do something - from fix a shoe to plow a field - plus they have their own "street smarts". I don't know what I'd be likely to use the stat for, though.
  11. I'd probably agree with this. You don't need it for skill points, it's not like their going to be making KNOWLEDGE rolls - presumably you'll make their decisions and insights for them. I probably wouldn't bother. As a GM, I'd hate to have an NPC who's learning made them do something I didn't want them to.
  12. Ohboyohboyohboy! My local gaming shop gets their shipments on Wednesdays (ie tomorrow), and I ordered my copy from them months ago. Wonder how it will all come out in the wash? Ohboyohboyohboy!
  13. The point made about a 98% skill only being able to critically fail is a good point (although that could be the exception to the rule, and an exception could be made... although still, a person with 99% can only critically fail... oh well, best not to dwell). I think I might actually use this for critical successes, though. Aesthetically, I think watching for doubles makes rolling the dice more fun.
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