Whenever I would work on anything cyberpunk related I always tried to capture the government control over everything. So I was always looking around for pictures of cops in riot gear in action and such. Sometimes I would see one and think "Man that would be perfect if the writing on the buildings and such was in english".
Now I have plenty of shots like that to choose from. All in english... complete with US city streets and people... It made me think differently of all the other images that I've seen from other countries. At the people in them and what they were going through. Something moved inside of me.
It's easy to hate, really it is, I've been doing it for a while now. However at this point I'm discovering just how hard it is to give a damn about something and still going after it anyways.
I can't believe how far the 'Land of the Free' has fallen. At least we are still the Home of the Brave, and I'm not referring to the ones in the riot gear.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Screams from the Outhouse: Fortune Cookies
Somebody mentioned the other day about someone using fortune cookies during character creation in a wuxia style game. Evidently the history of the fortune cooked being a Japanese invention that was made popular by Americans somehow taints the Chinese based wuxia ideas. Never mind the fact that it's Chinese restaurants that are giving out the cookies with every meal and thus making them popular in America....
Anyways, this got me thinking about using them as well. I'm not sure how the previous person used them as there was no link back to the actual statement of it. But here's what I came up with. You get your saying in the cookie and then use that to help set some sort of idea for your character. Here are a few I came up with:
“There is always a way, if you are committed.” The character never gives up on a cause no matter how much the odds are stacked against them. He is always searching for the way to succeed when facing certain failure.
“You are blessed, today is the day to bless others” The character is of a religious occupation or belief. He spends a lot of his times trying to spread that belief to others or aid them spiritually.
“Traveling more often is important for your health and happiness.” The character is always on the move and never settles down for long. He is always looking forward to what is over the next hill.
“Wisdom is on her way to you” The character is a seeker of knowledge almost to the level of obsession with gaining new sources to learn from.
These could be used in just about any sort of game as well. Not just anything of 'oriental' influence or what not. Just an extra little way to apply some twists to the characters during generation. Next time I run a game I may just try this out.
Anyways, this got me thinking about using them as well. I'm not sure how the previous person used them as there was no link back to the actual statement of it. But here's what I came up with. You get your saying in the cookie and then use that to help set some sort of idea for your character. Here are a few I came up with:
“There is always a way, if you are committed.” The character never gives up on a cause no matter how much the odds are stacked against them. He is always searching for the way to succeed when facing certain failure.
“You are blessed, today is the day to bless others” The character is of a religious occupation or belief. He spends a lot of his times trying to spread that belief to others or aid them spiritually.
“Traveling more often is important for your health and happiness.” The character is always on the move and never settles down for long. He is always looking forward to what is over the next hill.
“Wisdom is on her way to you” The character is a seeker of knowledge almost to the level of obsession with gaining new sources to learn from.
These could be used in just about any sort of game as well. Not just anything of 'oriental' influence or what not. Just an extra little way to apply some twists to the characters during generation. Next time I run a game I may just try this out.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The ignore list
Well I've been on rpg.net a lot more here lately. I've realised that I do something that other are incapable of on there. When somebody says trollish or flamebait things I put them on ignore. Many of the people who get banned from there are apparently can't do this. They get banned when they finally get tired of seeing it and go off on the trolls.
Why do they do this? The person is obviously trying to get a rise out of people and is probably seeing a person getting banned from their prodding as a feather in their cap. So why in the world would they care what they have to say the rest of the time? I know I don't.
Anyways I've been adding to my little ignore list already over there. Now if only everyone else would start doing the same then the actions of the trolls would be met with silence. Then the very few who also make some decent posts would notice the silence as well. Once the fun is gone they would leave.
Why do they do this? The person is obviously trying to get a rise out of people and is probably seeing a person getting banned from their prodding as a feather in their cap. So why in the world would they care what they have to say the rest of the time? I know I don't.
Anyways I've been adding to my little ignore list already over there. Now if only everyone else would start doing the same then the actions of the trolls would be met with silence. Then the very few who also make some decent posts would notice the silence as well. Once the fun is gone they would leave.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Say what...?
Okay now this is a pretty petty thing for somebody to get pissed off about. From the G+ page of Gareth Skarka.
Yeah so he's mad about somebody using fortune cookies for character creation because they aren't a Chinese creation (which is where wuxia originated) but Japanese and made overly popular by Americans. He doesn't mention anything at all about all the Chinese restaurants ran by actual Chinese people that give away fortune cookies.
Really sometimes GMS comes off with some things that I really think are intelligent and thinking outside of the box. Then there are time, like this, where I can do nothing more than facepalm about it.
Yeah we gamers are supposed to be of a higher morale fiber than to use a Japanese creation made popular in America and given out at Chinese restaurants because it is, I don't know insulting, to the Chinese. I don't see many Chinese cuisine sellers complaining about things like this though.
His post is public for anybody on the Plus that wants to see it.
Comment on Twitter about a wuxia game that uses fortune cookies for character creation.
Fortune cookies.
A Japanese invention, popularized in America.
Fucking gamers.
Yeah so he's mad about somebody using fortune cookies for character creation because they aren't a Chinese creation (which is where wuxia originated) but Japanese and made overly popular by Americans. He doesn't mention anything at all about all the Chinese restaurants ran by actual Chinese people that give away fortune cookies.
Really sometimes GMS comes off with some things that I really think are intelligent and thinking outside of the box. Then there are time, like this, where I can do nothing more than facepalm about it.
Yeah we gamers are supposed to be of a higher morale fiber than to use a Japanese creation made popular in America and given out at Chinese restaurants because it is, I don't know insulting, to the Chinese. I don't see many Chinese cuisine sellers complaining about things like this though.
His post is public for anybody on the Plus that wants to see it.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Fools who can't come up with their own topics
Y'know what I find funny? When somebody who claims to hate rpg.net with a raging huge hard-on, and yet still has to steal topics from there for their own forum. Yeah RPGdipshit is at it again.
An amazingly obvious copycat thread starter like this one over on the old big purple.
What do you do when a player simply won't learn the rules of the game.
He lacks so much in originality that he has to lift ideas from the place that he is constantly bitching about. Well the number of threads being updated per day seems to be down so I guess it is about time for him to start doing this in an attempt to get posting back up. He did the same when rpghaven was first trying to start up.
Guess that what has to be done when your raging epeen filled with anger online persona stops attracting the folks.
Does it bug you when a player has been participating in a game for several sessions, and still doesn't know how to do basic things in spite of having done them multiple times, and had it explained to him multiple times?
Would it make a difference in whether it bothered you if the guy was generally dim, or if you had the sense that he just doesn't care enough about learning the rules? Or if you got a sense that he won't learn the rules specifically because he knows everyone else will tell him how to do stuff?
An amazingly obvious copycat thread starter like this one over on the old big purple.
What do you do when a player simply won't learn the rules of the game.
He lacks so much in originality that he has to lift ideas from the place that he is constantly bitching about. Well the number of threads being updated per day seems to be down so I guess it is about time for him to start doing this in an attempt to get posting back up. He did the same when rpghaven was first trying to start up.
Guess that what has to be done when your raging epeen filled with anger online persona stops attracting the folks.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
The Other Side: Skill resolution mechanics
Skill ranking and mechanics idea. One main goal is to just use six sided dice since they are my preferred die type and easily available.
Most likely I'll be using cascade style skills like out of Unknown Armies or broad traits like Over the Edge. Either way there will be three rankings when you choose them skilled, adept and expert. This will tell you how many dice you roll. But you only keep one, the highest. Unless you are trying something you have absolutely no skill, in that case you keep the lowest.
unskilled roll two dice and keep the lowest
skilled roll one and keep the highest
adept roll two and keep the highest
expert roll three and keep the highest
Some skills would be listed as NA for unskilled and impossible to do without possessing it.
Target numbers would depend on the action. Some would be based off a preset difficulty. For example with lockpicking the lock would have its own number that needed to be reached. 2 for the easiest and 6 for the hardest. Others such as dancing would depend on a number determined by the GM, with 2 being easy and 6 being the hardest.
Target numbers for hitting somebody would depend on the weapon and range/actions of target. Examples: Long range would add one, moving target would add one, duress would add one, weapon is low quality adds one, things like this. So if you are trying to hit a perfectly stationary target at normal range the difficulty would be 2. But a target at long range that is running and you are being shot at also (duress) would be a 5.
Of course this could make combat pretty deadly with expert fighters. But then again, shouldn't it be that way?
Thinking of some sort of instant success choice with easy task. Like the take 10 and take 20 rules from 3rd Edition D&D. Where a skilled character spends extra time to make sure he is doing it correctly and is careful.
Most likely I'll be using cascade style skills like out of Unknown Armies or broad traits like Over the Edge. Either way there will be three rankings when you choose them skilled, adept and expert. This will tell you how many dice you roll. But you only keep one, the highest. Unless you are trying something you have absolutely no skill, in that case you keep the lowest.
unskilled roll two dice and keep the lowest
skilled roll one and keep the highest
adept roll two and keep the highest
expert roll three and keep the highest
Some skills would be listed as NA for unskilled and impossible to do without possessing it.
Target numbers would depend on the action. Some would be based off a preset difficulty. For example with lockpicking the lock would have its own number that needed to be reached. 2 for the easiest and 6 for the hardest. Others such as dancing would depend on a number determined by the GM, with 2 being easy and 6 being the hardest.
Target numbers for hitting somebody would depend on the weapon and range/actions of target. Examples: Long range would add one, moving target would add one, duress would add one, weapon is low quality adds one, things like this. So if you are trying to hit a perfectly stationary target at normal range the difficulty would be 2. But a target at long range that is running and you are being shot at also (duress) would be a 5.
Of course this could make combat pretty deadly with expert fighters. But then again, shouldn't it be that way?
Thinking of some sort of instant success choice with easy task. Like the take 10 and take 20 rules from 3rd Edition D&D. Where a skilled character spends extra time to make sure he is doing it correctly and is careful.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The Other Side: The Sight
The Sight
In the world of The Other Side there are people who have a gift of sorts. It's a gift that allows them to see what most others cannot, they can see through the veil of our reality. The structure of our world has a tendency to try and protect those who reside in it. First step in protection is simply hiding what does not belong. So the cracks in the walls, creatures who have slipped through, people who have figured out how to use powers that are seeping in; all of these, they are covered up. Only those with the Sight can see or detect them.
They, of course, are the player characters.
Hopefully this will allow the game to be ran in a few different ways by game masters. From a group of monster hunters, to a occult detectives and people thrown into the power struggles between beings from another world who are using our reality as a battleground. It will also add in the extra antagonists of law enforcement agencies and such who will see an assault against an otherworldly humanoid predator as an assault on a strange acting homeless man. So there can be plenty of material to work with.
Now of course not everybody can see as good as the rest. The Sight will have a skill rating and anything that is hidden by the veil will have a difficulty number to beat in order to see. But everyone with the site can see the cracks, of course that's not necessarily a good thing since by seeing them you risk getting pulled though without a choice.
Why some people are able to see like this and others are not is a subject of great debate... among those who know of it. Common theories are human evolution in defense against a growing enviromental threat, influence by some as of yet unknown race from the Other Side who are secretly aiding us, even some think that it's caused by the amount of dependency that we have on avenues of escape from the world on a daily basis. The actual truth is nobody really knows. I don't even know and I'm never going to make a set reason. This is something of the cosmological setting in the game that will be left open for GM's to fill in for themselves if needed. Or they can use the same answer I will be 'nobody knows'.
In the world of The Other Side there are people who have a gift of sorts. It's a gift that allows them to see what most others cannot, they can see through the veil of our reality. The structure of our world has a tendency to try and protect those who reside in it. First step in protection is simply hiding what does not belong. So the cracks in the walls, creatures who have slipped through, people who have figured out how to use powers that are seeping in; all of these, they are covered up. Only those with the Sight can see or detect them.
They, of course, are the player characters.
Hopefully this will allow the game to be ran in a few different ways by game masters. From a group of monster hunters, to a occult detectives and people thrown into the power struggles between beings from another world who are using our reality as a battleground. It will also add in the extra antagonists of law enforcement agencies and such who will see an assault against an otherworldly humanoid predator as an assault on a strange acting homeless man. So there can be plenty of material to work with.
Now of course not everybody can see as good as the rest. The Sight will have a skill rating and anything that is hidden by the veil will have a difficulty number to beat in order to see. But everyone with the site can see the cracks, of course that's not necessarily a good thing since by seeing them you risk getting pulled though without a choice.
Why some people are able to see like this and others are not is a subject of great debate... among those who know of it. Common theories are human evolution in defense against a growing enviromental threat, influence by some as of yet unknown race from the Other Side who are secretly aiding us, even some think that it's caused by the amount of dependency that we have on avenues of escape from the world on a daily basis. The actual truth is nobody really knows. I don't even know and I'm never going to make a set reason. This is something of the cosmological setting in the game that will be left open for GM's to fill in for themselves if needed. Or they can use the same answer I will be 'nobody knows'.
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