Hmm... what do you guys think would be a good system to play Life is Strange / Night in the Woods / Stranger Things / Twilight Zone / IT / Oxenfree / normal-ish folk hang out and occasionally face existential horror together?
Unknown Armies is sort of set up for this. Same with Urban Shadows.
Hard disagree on Urban Shadows. It's about people who are already players in the supernatural scene, with leverage on the major players and each other.
Monster of the Week might be a little better, if you avoid certain playbooks which are presumed to have more external support.
If it's expected that certain people might not survive, there's always Dread, but that's more for one-shots.
Hmm... what do you guys think would be a good system to play Life is Strange / Night in the Woods / Stranger Things / Twilight Zone / IT / Oxenfree / normal-ish folk hang out and occasionally face existential horror together?
Unknown Armies is sort of set up for this. Same with Urban Shadows.
Hard disagree on Urban Shadows. It's about people who are already players in the supernatural scene, with leverage on the major players and each other.
Monster of the Week might be a little better, if you avoid certain playbooks which are presumed to have more external support.
If it's expected that certain people might not survive, there's always Dread, but that's more for one-shots.
Out of the box nothing is a perfect match (although as mentioned Bubblegumshoe and Tales from the Loop are premised around the idea of investigating kids and supernatural whodoo), you can hack anything if you're interested in the core mechanic.
If you want to lean on the investigative angle I'd go with GUMSHOE over Tales From the Loop. TFtL is a really pretty book but mechanically it's kind of meh.
Hard disagree. I've been underwhelmed every time I've played GUMSHOE games. We had a ton of fun playing playing TftL.
My core issue with Tales is that it's an investigation game that does nothing to teach you how to run investigation game. It doesn't talk about failing forward or flexible generation of clues and its provided modules are full of excessive rolls and hard stops. If you play them RAW and your players aren't rolling hot, you're going to have a bad time.
I absolutely had fun with it both as a player and GM, but I credit that more to the fact that the concept is fantastic and the book is very good at evoking it than I do to the mechanics.
If I were going to do Stranger Things, I'd do Tales from the Loop + Bubblegumshoe.
If I were going to do IT, I'd probably wait until Chronicles of Darkness: Innocents 2nd Edition, then remember how frustrated I am with the Storytelling system, and just use Bubblegumshoe + Fear Itself.
GUMSHOE games require a pretty different outlook on GMing where you prepare an excellent story (outline) and then reveal it to the players bit by bit as they make the appropriate investigatory moves. You intersperse with combat and chase scenes and other film noir staples at your leisure, really.
Essentially the players are moving through curated scenes, but there's a ton of agency available to them in terms of which leads they want to pursue, how they want to approach the investigation, and even whether they're interested in the current thread.
My NBA game derailed spectacularly when the IRA assassin wanted to go back to Ireland to talk to his confessor, and the IRA tried to pull him back in to assassinate said confessor. I had expected him to agree to do it, and instead he basically convinced the rest of the group to help him take out the IRA.
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admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
edited September 2017
It's interesting that they don't mention the Genesys system at all. I wonder if it's actually its own system, or if they're just separating Genesys-derived games from the source system.
It's interesting that they don't mention the Genesys system at all. I wonder if it's actually its own system, or if they're just separating Genesys-derived games from the source system.
They wouldn't be beta testing it if it was Genesys.
That said... to quote my reaction when I heard:
YES! YES YES YES YES YES TODAY IS SO FUCKING AWESOME YAY I AM SO WANTING TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN IN MY SEAT HOLY SHIT AWESOME YES!
It's interesting that they don't mention the Genesys system at all. I wonder if it's actually its own system, or if they're just separating Genesys-derived games from the source system.
They wouldn't be beta testing it if it was Genesys.
I disagree? Any game that extends Genesys will have full career/equipment sections, which definitely merits playtesting.
It'd be kinda weird for FFG to create and promote a universal RPG system which is going to have supplements for their big settings but divert a huge amount for L5R, even with its legacy rules.
Either way it'll definitely be a different system from old L5R because there ain't none of that sweet, sweet custom dice cash in that.
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
That's a good point, and some word choices were pointed out. If it was a heavily modified version of the Genesys system, I'm more than happy with that too. After all, they beta tested all 3 Star Wars RPGs!
There's wording to suggest Genesys (custom dice, lots of use of "narrative"). There's no way they do custom dice that's not Genesys based. But there is also wording to suggest it is modified to fit the setting. Which is great! I look forward to trying it out!
... anyone want to run an online playtest? =p.
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admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
My guess is that L5R will have Genesys at its core, but because it's a property with a lot of potential they're putting more effort into making it mechanically distinct.
I can easily see them using the same Star Wars/Genesys base and having the stats and skills distributed in a thematically different fashion. Rings are kinda important to the whole L5R thing.
I also imagine the career rules, if they are similar to the Star Wars version, are going to be much more restrictive. Dojo choice is pretty darned important to defining characters, or at least has been to this point.
I guess you could have a version of Genysys based on Roll N Keep where you roll a bunch of dice and then to keep more than 1/your Ring value you have to also take negative dice results or something?
I don't think that'd be very good, just I wouldn't be surprised if there was something (probably a talent or two) that preserves that mechanic in some fashion.
Looks like someone renamed the Heart ring.
Void now being the element that brings the other four together.
Well, that sucks.
(Please note: I do not know if this happened.
But Void does do the above but is also -the vastness of space- so I'm choosing to read it like the Heart element is just covering for the fact that they're the Heart element)
My group just started playing L5R together using the old book, so, I'd be pretty shocked if we switched over considering we just invested the time to learn the system.
Also, overall I personally haven't been super impressed with FFG's RPG offerings.
Really though, playing L5R to me is way more about the setting than the system, so, I'm fine with sticking with what I know rather than learning a new system, unless it's a radical departure in style, but I doubt it's going to be like, the current system vs something Dungeon World-esque. If it's just substituting one set of crunch for another, eh, I'll pass.
I'm just waiting for FFG to make the L5R open beta available for download. I really want to see what's in it and what their system for it is going to look like.
Worst case scenario is the system is bad and if I ever play L5R again I'll just use my 4th edition book. But, I'm cautiously optimistic as I've enjoyed the FFG RPGs I've played (40k RP system, EotE).
Interesting that it seems to actually be a hybrid R&K system.
My god, why? It's R&K with a DIFFERENT proprietary dice system than Star Wars/Genesys. It's like, on paper, designed to annoy everyone. And it might slow things down with the symbols ("Do I want this dice, or this other dice?") and then having to count results... ugh.
If I hadn't already had a positive experience with Star Wars I'd just nope out right away.
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
I mean, I don't doubt that their business teams are thrilled about any product with a secondary high-margin income, but I'm also sure their dev team is thrilled to be able to precisely tune the odds of their resolution system.
It's a win-win for them and on the customer end RPGs are an incredibly cheap cost/hour investment anyways so it's hard to get too burned up about it.
And just mentioning custom dice had the guy who taught me L5R wanting to burn FFG at the stake.
Yeah, that was going to happen regardless. FFG is also burning the "Hey, Genesys isn't that bad" crowd as well. I mean, at least with Genesys I don't have to buy even more dice since I already have some.
For me, personally, if the books look pretty, I'll probably buy them. I really want 4th edition books for the same reason (but they are stupid expensive). But I buy a lot of games I never play.
I've printed out the beta rules (including the first half twice because my printer was being stupid) so I'll start reading past the cursory glance I gave so far.
And just mentioning custom dice had the guy who taught me L5R wanting to burn FFG at the stake.
I've seen similar reactions. I guess on some level I just don't buy that such people would've bought any version of L5R that was developed by FFG.
Or they'll buy it anyways, despite the rage.
Yeah. The constant references to the reboot and not respecting the 20 year history of the game pretty much makes me agree. I've met Katrina, talked to her quite a bit. I do not think I've ever met someone who knows more than her about L5R and what makes it tick.
I mean, FFG inventing their own, well-received role-playing system that uses proprietary dice for Star Wars, and then expanding upon the system by introducing a setting-agnostic version of it... and then making it so that the dice people already have from playing that system already aren't compatible with this new role-playing game people have been looking forward to - I can see why that would upset people.
I honestly don't understand the reasoning that FFG has with this. Maybe they figure that the existing L5R fandom is dedicated enough that they will buy into this anyway, but having system-specific dice for it is going to make it a lot less likely that people who aren't already big into L5R give it a shot. They aren't relying on a true household name like Star Wars to push people into buying in.
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Hard disagree on Urban Shadows. It's about people who are already players in the supernatural scene, with leverage on the major players and each other.
Monster of the Week might be a little better, if you avoid certain playbooks which are presumed to have more external support.
If it's expected that certain people might not survive, there's always Dread, but that's more for one-shots.
My core issue with Tales is that it's an investigation game that does nothing to teach you how to run investigation game. It doesn't talk about failing forward or flexible generation of clues and its provided modules are full of excessive rolls and hard stops. If you play them RAW and your players aren't rolling hot, you're going to have a bad time.
I absolutely had fun with it both as a player and GM, but I credit that more to the fact that the concept is fantastic and the book is very good at evoking it than I do to the mechanics.
If I were going to do IT, I'd probably wait until Chronicles of Darkness: Innocents 2nd Edition, then remember how frustrated I am with the Storytelling system, and just use Bubblegumshoe + Fear Itself.
Essentially the players are moving through curated scenes, but there's a ton of agency available to them in terms of which leads they want to pursue, how they want to approach the investigation, and even whether they're interested in the current thread.
My NBA game derailed spectacularly when the IRA assassin wanted to go back to Ireland to talk to his confessor, and the IRA tried to pull him back in to assassinate said confessor. I had expected him to agree to do it, and instead he basically convinced the rest of the group to help him take out the IRA.
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
Brief skim suggest it is not Roll & Keep (looks Genesys based but maybe heavily modified). Brace for nerd rage...
They wouldn't be beta testing it if it was Genesys.
That said... to quote my reaction when I heard:
I disagree? Any game that extends Genesys will have full career/equipment sections, which definitely merits playtesting.
If it was only a setting book, sure.
Either way it'll definitely be a different system from old L5R because there ain't none of that sweet, sweet custom dice cash in that.
... anyone want to run an online playtest? =p.
I also imagine the career rules, if they are similar to the Star Wars version, are going to be much more restrictive. Dojo choice is pretty darned important to defining characters, or at least has been to this point.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
I don't think that'd be very good, just I wouldn't be surprised if there was something (probably a talent or two) that preserves that mechanic in some fashion.
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Void now being the element that brings the other four together.
Well, that sucks.
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Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
(Please note: I do not know if this happened.
But Void does do the above but is also -the vastness of space- so I'm choosing to read it like the Heart element is just covering for the fact that they're the Heart element)
DIE FROG! DIE!
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
That has a logic to it that I probably missed from that description of Void.
Also, overall I personally haven't been super impressed with FFG's RPG offerings.
Really though, playing L5R to me is way more about the setting than the system, so, I'm fine with sticking with what I know rather than learning a new system, unless it's a radical departure in style, but I doubt it's going to be like, the current system vs something Dungeon World-esque. If it's just substituting one set of crunch for another, eh, I'll pass.
Worst case scenario is the system is bad and if I ever play L5R again I'll just use my 4th edition book. But, I'm cautiously optimistic as I've enjoyed the FFG RPGs I've played (40k RP system, EotE).
Interesting that it seems to actually be a hybrid R&K system.
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My god, why? It's R&K with a DIFFERENT proprietary dice system than Star Wars/Genesys. It's like, on paper, designed to annoy everyone. And it might slow things down with the symbols ("Do I want this dice, or this other dice?") and then having to count results... ugh.
If I hadn't already had a positive experience with Star Wars I'd just nope out right away.
I mean, I'll just code up some dice Roll20, so I'm not sure how effective a strategy that is (if that is their strategy).
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It's a win-win for them and on the customer end RPGs are an incredibly cheap cost/hour investment anyways so it's hard to get too burned up about it.
Yeah, that was going to happen regardless. FFG is also burning the "Hey, Genesys isn't that bad" crowd as well. I mean, at least with Genesys I don't have to buy even more dice since I already have some.
For me, personally, if the books look pretty, I'll probably buy them. I really want 4th edition books for the same reason (but they are stupid expensive). But I buy a lot of games I never play.
I've printed out the beta rules (including the first half twice because my printer was being stupid) so I'll start reading past the cursory glance I gave so far.
in fact, i want every game from here on to have its own type of dice
WAY OF THE FUTURE
i'm actually stoked to play this, though.
I've seen similar reactions. I guess on some level I just don't buy that such people would've bought any version of L5R that was developed by FFG.
Or they'll buy it anyways, despite the rage.
Yeah. The constant references to the reboot and not respecting the 20 year history of the game pretty much makes me agree. I've met Katrina, talked to her quite a bit. I do not think I've ever met someone who knows more than her about L5R and what makes it tick.
What I love about the roleplaying hobby is how full of stable, totally reasonable people it is.
Yeaaaaahhhhh....
I honestly don't understand the reasoning that FFG has with this. Maybe they figure that the existing L5R fandom is dedicated enough that they will buy into this anyway, but having system-specific dice for it is going to make it a lot less likely that people who aren't already big into L5R give it a shot. They aren't relying on a true household name like Star Wars to push people into buying in.
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