Sorry about not responding; didn't realize we were back (lost in a sea of alerts). I'm not sure how much of the slow-down can be attributed to the nature of the Doom Pool versus the nature of the PbP beast, but as for the Doom Pool's apparently... fickle nature, I'm inclined to agree with @GrimmyTOA that this is a result of us being unfamiliar with how to properly manipulate it rather than anything else.
As for how to move things along, the issue with @Suicide Slyde's idea of us rolling our own Doom Pools is that Doom Pool results don't really have binary outcomes; it's not strictly pass-fail. The roll can be modified by the Watcher with certain villain SFXs, new scene distinctions can be conjured, etc. Similarly, it still falls to the watcher to determine the specific nature of success or failure.
From IRL play I can say that Doom Pool management is a Big Deal for the GM and that it is a BIG DEAL isn't super apparent until you've had a game come to crashing halt because you didn't do it right.
The sun rises on a gorgeous Saturday morning in the First World. Any worries of lingering rain or clouds from last night storm is banished by the cheerful rays of light. The house even looks a little better, but the grill outside could use some work. It looks like the previous occupants didn't bother cleaning it before they left - there's grease caked on the surface of the grill itself, and the kettle is a congealed mess of wet ash and drippings. Not pleasant, but nothing a bit of elbow grease couldn't fix.
When the subject of a drive in to town for food and grill supplies gets raised, Kitty waves you off. "You guys go ahead - I want to catch up on a few things here. I'll just grab a bagel." And so the five of you pile into one of the cars, and drive off.
Five minutes down the road, the scenery starts to change. It's stunning how quickly a resort community goes from row after row of houses, steadily less ornate as they get farther from the water, to a... well, it's almost a little city. Complete with crowded together buildings, a few boarded up windows, and young men hanging around in twos and threes, wearing baseball caps and bandannas and basketball jerseys that all somehow manage to be the same shades of black and blue.
They seem to be everywhere. Two of them are even hanging around the front of Home Depot when you get there, eyeing everybody who goes in or out. Nobody seems to pay them any attention, studiously ignoring the pair as they go about their business. And, in return, the two thugs don't seem to be interested in anyone that walks by.
As your small group unfurls itself from the car, and take a moment to stretch your cramped limbs, another car pulls into the lot. It's a cheap import painted an eye-scorching red and modded out the wazoo - giant muffler barely containing any engine noise or exhaust, gaudy after-market spoiler. The kid driving it is maybe sixteen, and he's got a girl in the passenger seat that can't be much older. They pop out of the car, head towards the entrance... and boy just stops. The girl keeps walking, until she notices he's not with her anymore. She heads back, they exchange a few words, and start moving to the other entrance. Away from the two gang members.
Which, of course, they notice. And leave their post on the main entrance, and start walking after the two kids that were trying to avoid them. They hustle over, not breaking into a run, but covering the distance quick enough. Hands clap on shoulders in what should be a friendly, companionable gesture. But the boy winces and the girl barely stifles a shriek. The two gang members steer the couple right past the entrance... and down into an alley.
What - if anything - are you doing?
I'm going to try a few different things here.
1) You guys can assemble and roll the Opposition Dice yourselves.
2) No "just failing" at a task, unless failure is REALLY the only option in a botched roll. Succeed with a setback. For example, if you're trying to set up a Support Action, you still succeed at that - but add an equal amount of chaos. Take a hit, up the Doom Pool - be creative.
3) I set up an initiative order to make things a little more orderly for PbP.
4) I am going to try capping the highest die in the Doom Pool to a d8 in the First World, and a d10 in the Second.
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Initiative Order
PC
PC
Opposing NPC
PC
Oppsoing NPC
PC
PC
(( other ))
Delancy Street Gang Member (d6)
Solo d4, Buddy d6, Team d8
"Uh.. did that seem weird to anyone else?" James eyes the alley uneasily. "I guess calling the cops wouldn't do much, but... maybe in a small town like this things are better..."
His voice trails off.
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
Jake is immobile, jaw clenching and unclenching while his mind races. "We need to go down there. They went down that alley so there wouldn't be witnesses. Someone should call 911, tell the store there's something going on in their alley."
He looks at the Madsen brothers, both a good six inches taller than him. "We need to go down there."
Carmen fished around for her phone, looking for the nearest street signs as she did; she had no idea where they were. She finally found the phone, a small, cheap, pay-as-you-go, Samsung. She flipped it open; there was a charge but not much of one. She'd never dialed 911 before; she wondered if the script the people on the other end followed was anything like it was in the movies. She put the phone to her ear anxiously.
@Sneaks
You feel like the phone rings forever before someone finally picks up. The female voice on the other end has a certain tone to it, something that speaks of old horrors never shared and weariness sunk into the bone. She takes your information and sighs. "I'm sorry, but suspicious activities in and of themselves are a low priority to us right now. We have our hands full. An officer will swing by if one becomes available. Please call back if the situation escalates."
For a heartbeat, you think she's hung up; but after a pause, she continues.
"Shit. I guess we've got to go down there." James heads toward the alley. "... been playing too many games for my own good."
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
Jake was keeping pace with James and Paul, but breaks into a jog when he hears the scream. He stops at the top of the alley and lets a shout escape him.
"HEY!" It's a little anticlimactic, but he's got too much adrenaline in his system to worry about that.
The two thugs stand over the boy, kicking him. "You're too good for us, huh?" "It wasn't an invite, asshole. We don't make requests." The girl is cowering next to a dumpster, holding the right side of her face in her hands. When she spots you, she cries out.
"Help him, please! They'll kill him!"
They stop dishing out the punishment, and the taller of the two points a finger at you. "Get the fuck out of here, or you're next."
The alley is littered with the detritus of a seaside town under poor repair - weather-worn boards and crumbling bricks are close at hand. Besides that, it is a typical alley: narrow, dirty, and shaded.
Scene Distinctions
Narrow Alleyway
Cluttered
Available Power Traits
2x4 d6
Brick d6
(feel free to grab one to use in a physical dice pool, or anything else that would be appropriate in an alley)
Don't feel constrained to physical violence here. Words are weapons, too.
"Give me a second on my own here guys," James murmurs to his friends. "But... you know... be ready to chuck a brick."
Walking forward, he raises his empty hands.
"Hey man, I'm not here to cause trouble, it's just... look, I'm a doctor. When you were going past me a second ago I saw that you have a... well, it looks like a melanoma. Skin cancer. On the back of your neck. It... it looks bad. Really bad."
This is never going to work, and I'm going to get myself killed.
1d10 solo, 1d8 medical
Attempting to create a complication "Dismayed and Distracted" for whichever of the thugs looks like the leader. Medical bluff check: 1d1081d84
Result of 8 with a d8 effect.
The first thug looks confused. "My... what? What the fuck are you talking about?" He grabs his partner. "Look at the back of my fucking neck, is there something on it?"
GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
While the goons are distracted Jake signals for the girl to get behind them and does his best to cover her escape. The boy he motions to back off further down the alley, away from the gangers.
d8 solo, d8 Let me sort it out, d4 Narrow alleyway
GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
Sorry, it's been a while.
I'm trying to get the innocents out of the way, so they have to face us instead of wailing on them. I think a complication would be the best fit, to show they've not got as much leverage.
Who do you want to put the Complication on? Gang Member 1 or Gang Member 2?
(( OOC: I derped in these last couple rolls. Quick review: after discarding any rolled 1s, you pick two of the remaining dice to use as your total (spending PPs to keep more). If you have any dice remaining, you can use one as an effect die. If no dice remain, you default to a d4. ))
(( OOC: Additionally, you can only use one Distinction (Character or Scene) in a dice pool. Don't worry about it for now, just a heads up going forward. ))
tzeentchlingDoctor of RocksOaklandRegistered Userregular
Sorry! I really just can't think of anything Lucy would do. She's uncomfortable with this whole situation and would rather just leave.
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Suicide SlydeHaunts your dreamsof mountains sunk below the seaRegistered Userregular
I have no idea how I missed this. I'm out right now but I'll be back soon. I call nexties. Unless of course some one else posts first.
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Suicide SlydeHaunts your dreamsof mountains sunk below the seaRegistered Userregular
Paul steps forward, and locks eyes with the other thug.
"Alright you two, pay close attention here because there's five of us and only two of you, and by all appearances these two want nothing to do with you. So, you can either stay here, try something and risk getting your heads bashed in or you can take a walk. Your choice."
Posts
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
As for how to move things along, the issue with @Suicide Slyde's idea of us rolling our own Doom Pools is that Doom Pool results don't really have binary outcomes; it's not strictly pass-fail. The roll can be modified by the Watcher with certain villain SFXs, new scene distinctions can be conjured, etc. Similarly, it still falls to the watcher to determine the specific nature of success or failure.
Maybe if EDIT: No, that's a bad idea.
I am still interested though.
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
When the subject of a drive in to town for food and grill supplies gets raised, Kitty waves you off. "You guys go ahead - I want to catch up on a few things here. I'll just grab a bagel." And so the five of you pile into one of the cars, and drive off.
Five minutes down the road, the scenery starts to change. It's stunning how quickly a resort community goes from row after row of houses, steadily less ornate as they get farther from the water, to a... well, it's almost a little city. Complete with crowded together buildings, a few boarded up windows, and young men hanging around in twos and threes, wearing baseball caps and bandannas and basketball jerseys that all somehow manage to be the same shades of black and blue.
They seem to be everywhere. Two of them are even hanging around the front of Home Depot when you get there, eyeing everybody who goes in or out. Nobody seems to pay them any attention, studiously ignoring the pair as they go about their business. And, in return, the two thugs don't seem to be interested in anyone that walks by.
As your small group unfurls itself from the car, and take a moment to stretch your cramped limbs, another car pulls into the lot. It's a cheap import painted an eye-scorching red and modded out the wazoo - giant muffler barely containing any engine noise or exhaust, gaudy after-market spoiler. The kid driving it is maybe sixteen, and he's got a girl in the passenger seat that can't be much older. They pop out of the car, head towards the entrance... and boy just stops. The girl keeps walking, until she notices he's not with her anymore. She heads back, they exchange a few words, and start moving to the other entrance. Away from the two gang members.
Which, of course, they notice. And leave their post on the main entrance, and start walking after the two kids that were trying to avoid them. They hustle over, not breaking into a run, but covering the distance quick enough. Hands clap on shoulders in what should be a friendly, companionable gesture. But the boy winces and the girl barely stifles a shriek. The two gang members steer the couple right past the entrance... and down into an alley.
What - if anything - are you doing?
I'm going to try a few different things here.
1) You guys can assemble and roll the Opposition Dice yourselves.
2) No "just failing" at a task, unless failure is REALLY the only option in a botched roll. Succeed with a setback. For example, if you're trying to set up a Support Action, you still succeed at that - but add an equal amount of chaos. Take a hit, up the Doom Pool - be creative.
3) I set up an initiative order to make things a little more orderly for PbP.
4) I am going to try capping the highest die in the Doom Pool to a d8 in the First World, and a d10 in the Second.
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
PC
PC
Opposing NPC
PC
Oppsoing NPC
PC
PC
(( other ))
Doom Pool:
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
His voice trails off.
He looks at the Madsen brothers, both a good six inches taller than him. "We need to go down there."
"Yeah. I, uh. I guess we do."
Paul looks at the group.
"Who's comin with me?"
You feel like the phone rings forever before someone finally picks up. The female voice on the other end has a certain tone to it, something that speaks of old horrors never shared and weariness sunk into the bone. She takes your information and sighs. "I'm sorry, but suspicious activities in and of themselves are a low priority to us right now. We have our hands full. An officer will swing by if one becomes available. Please call back if the situation escalates."
For a heartbeat, you think she's hung up; but after a pause, she continues.
"I'm sorry." She hangs up.
In the alley, someone screams.
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
"HEY!" It's a little anticlimactic, but he's got too much adrenaline in his system to worry about that.
"Help him, please! They'll kill him!"
They stop dishing out the punishment, and the taller of the two points a finger at you. "Get the fuck out of here, or you're next."
The alley is littered with the detritus of a seaside town under poor repair - weather-worn boards and crumbling bricks are close at hand. Besides that, it is a typical alley: narrow, dirty, and shaded.
Narrow Alleyway
Cluttered
Available Power Traits
2x4 d6
Brick d6
(feel free to grab one to use in a physical dice pool, or anything else that would be appropriate in an alley)
Don't feel constrained to physical violence here. Words are weapons, too.
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Walking forward, he raises his empty hands.
"Hey man, I'm not here to cause trouble, it's just... look, I'm a doctor. When you were going past me a second ago I saw that you have a... well, it looks like a melanoma. Skin cancer. On the back of your neck. It... it looks bad. Really bad."
This is never going to work, and I'm going to get myself killed.
Attempting to create a complication "Dismayed and Distracted" for whichever of the thugs looks like the leader.
Medical bluff check: 1d10 8 1d8 4
Result of 8 with a d8 effect.
Doom Pool serves as opposition: 2d4 3
2, w/ d4 effect
The first thug looks confused. "My... what? What the fuck are you talking about?" He grabs his partner. "Look at the back of my fucking neck, is there something on it?"
@Grog @Sneaks @Suicide Slyde @tzeentchling: A PC is up next.
GrimmyTOA
PC
Opposing NPC
PC
Opposing NPC
PC
PC
(( other ))
Opposition
Delancy Street Gang Member 1, complication: Dismayed and Distracted (d8)
Delancy Street Gang Member 2
Scene Distinctions
Narrow Alleyway
Cluttered
Available Power Traits
2x4 d6
Brick d6
(feel free to grab one to use in a physical dice pool, or anything else that would be appropriate in an alley)
Doom Pool:
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Get over here!: 1d8 7 1d4 3 1d8 6
Total 7 with a d8 effect and I get +1 pp
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
I'm trying to get the innocents out of the way, so they have to face us instead of wailing on them. I think a complication would be the best fit, to show they've not got as much leverage.
10 w/ d4 effect
The girl runs toward you, putting as much distance between herself and the thugs as she can.
@Grog
(( OOC: I derped in these last couple rolls. Quick review: after discarding any rolled 1s, you pick two of the remaining dice to use as your total (spending PPs to keep more). If you have any dice remaining, you can use one as an effect die. If no dice remain, you default to a d4. ))
(( OOC: Additionally, you can only use one Distinction (Character or Scene) in a dice pool. Don't worry about it for now, just a heads up going forward. ))
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
"Get your head in the goddamn game, man - forget your fucking neck!" the second thug hisses to the first one.
(( OOC Note: As a d6 specialist, a Thug is rendered helpless or stressed out when they have a Complication or Stress of d6 or more. ))
@Sneaks @Suicide Slyde or @tzeentchling is up next.
GrimmyTOA
Grog
Thug 2
PC
Opposing NPC
PC
PC
(( other ))
Opposition
Delancy Street Gang Member 1
Delancy Street Gang Member 2, complication: Loss of Leverage (d4)
Scene Distinctions
Narrow Alleyway
Cluttered
Available Power Traits
2x4 d6
Brick d6
(feel free to grab one to use in a physical dice pool, or anything else that would be appropriate in an alley)
Doom Pool:
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
"Alright you two, pay close attention here because there's five of us and only two of you, and by all appearances these two want nothing to do with you. So, you can either stay here, try something and risk getting your heads bashed in or you can take a walk. Your choice."
You really want to do this? 1d10 Team, 1d8 "Lets just think this through.", 1d4 Loss of Leverage
d10 3 d8 4 d4 3
7 with d10 effect