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Messages - Zelbinian

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1
Apocalypse World / Re: When you reset Hx, learn a secret [custom move]
« on: January 07, 2012, 04:59:10 PM »
Sure. One of my players is a Touchstone, but has decided to keep his symbol a secret for now "until the time is right." That was a cool secret to tell. Another player made up something really bad that her character had done in the passed and shared that.

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Apocalypse World / Re: When you reset Hx, learn a secret [custom move]
« on: January 06, 2012, 01:17:08 PM »
What kind of objects do you use?

This game I'm going with pried-off beer and Coke bottle caps. The aesthetic fits the game perfectly.

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Apocalypse World / Re: When you reset Hx, learn a secret [custom move]
« on: January 05, 2012, 05:10:08 PM »
Good question!

We've been doing the former. That +1 forward sits there, pregnant, waiting to be used. It's pretty cool, because it changes the social dynamic of the characters - and of the players! - when there's a dude who knows something about you that you just kinda let out of the bag unexpectedly and you know that if you play this right they could help you with it... but if you piss them off it could come back to bite you. It's delicious.

I do rule that spending the +1 forward to help/hinder must make sense within the context of play (i.e. the player has to argue how they are using the secret to help/hinder).

I should also point out that one of the reasons I think it's working so well in the current game I'm MC'ing is that we represent ongoing/forwards with physical objects. There's something deliciously meta about absently playing with a physical manifestation of another character's secret as the session unfolds. Good fun.

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Apocalypse World / Re: When you reset Hx, learn a secret [custom move]
« on: January 05, 2012, 12:21:44 PM »
After playing this both with and without the +1 to help or hinder, I greatly prefer the latter. The comment that there's already a lot of mechanics going on is sort of valid, but it's mechanical stuff that is very transient. People tend to mark their experience and then just jump right back into the story.

The "telling them a secret" thing makes the story matter more, and that's great, but I've found that unless the secret is really good or the information is used immediately, it kind of becomes lost in the moves snowball. The +1 to help or hinder not only adds to the fiction, but it goes from "now I know a secret about you" to "now I know a secret and this is information I can wield." Plus, that little +1 helps people remember what the hell the secret was and, once they use that knowledge to help/hinder, that's a fact about the character that sticks. It becomes a tangible part of the fiction instead of this tiny bit of color. Just my two cents.

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 19, 2011, 07:11:33 PM »
Some very good points. The tricky balancing act here is between:
  • Having a good con scenario
  • Making the game feel like Apocalypse World, complete with the non-planned, character-driven, emergent story
These goals seem to compete rather strongly - more strongly than I would've anticipated at first.

I'm running a play test of the scenario as it's evolved to this point this weekend. I'll report back afterward and see what comes of it.

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 19, 2011, 03:22:19 PM »
Yeah, there'll be both antagonism and coalescing on both sides of the fence. The Touchstone/Hocus are technically on "opposite" sides, but I'm setting them up to be friends. As a result, they'll probably be a little at odds with the people on their same side, but not completely. It should add a nice little tug of war element.

Also, midway through there'll be a zombie horde coming upon them. I'm thinking about having the countdown clock for that being based on how often they refuse to work together...

Oh, and yeah, certain playbooks are available to both sides, but only one of each playbook will be in play.

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 18, 2011, 11:01:01 PM »
Well never mind, then. :)

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 18, 2011, 01:41:52 PM »
Scenario (A) is already there, really. The fact that there are no status quos in Apocalypse World guarantees that even though the Bowlers are the haves, it's only just barely.

I should say that a Front might be a good idea, but I have no idea how to write one, especially without a first session to work from. I mean, I've read the chapter and all, but I've never been in an AW game that wasn't a one-shot, so I have no experience doing it. Although, given that we're right around Halloween, I've considered having a zombie hoard come in half way through to hammer home the "no status quos" thing. "Oh, you've been fighting over the little bowl? That doesn't matter now, because the 2nd wave of the apocalypse is coming."

Also... not to sound unappreciative, but you don't have to tell me that this isn't Burning Wheel. I'm well aware of the differences (and the similarities) between the two games. Hell, that's why I'm leaning on you guys for help because I know I can't just write some Beliefs for the PC's and be done with it! What I need is some way to focus the PC's on a particular situation, but still make it feel like they had some hand in creating it. I'm trying to use these directed, semi-open ended questions to direct them. That's what's on the table; that's what I need help with. Kicking over the table doesn't really help me, ya know? I'm not aiming for perfection here, just fun. So how about critiquing these questions for me a la an MC Love Letter?

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 16, 2011, 02:24:23 AM »
Ok, I've gotten the questions for 4 of the playbooks, and I think these will work nicely. I'm trying to design it so that the Chopper and the Hardholder want to rip each other's faces off while the Hocus and the Touchstone are coming to an understanding (and yet have the details of that be the players's idea). Feedback welcome!

Chopper questions:
  • Some real shit must've gone down during that last meeting with <Hardholder's name> - what happened?
  • How does your gang feel about the situation? How does *Rourke* feel about it?
  • Did having <Hocus's name> there help or do more harm than good? Tell us about it.

Hocus questions:
  • Why do people follow you? What are you offering?
  • What did <Chopper's name> do to make you look at him that way?
  • Why did Rourke take a swing at you after the last encounter at the holding?
  • <Touchstone's name> is interesting, huh? What do you like about her?

Hardholder questions:
  • What happened at the last negotiation with <Chopper's name>'s gang that caused you to toss him out of your holding at gunpoint?
  • - They haven't realized it yet, but <Chopper's name> left something behind when you met last. Something important. What was it?
  • Do you think you can trust <Touchstone's name>? And his/her right-hand... what's his name... Dremmer? What about him

Touchstone questions:
  • What's your vision? And how does your symbol tie in?
  • How did Dremmer earn your trust?
  • You and <Hocus's name> were seen having a long, polite conversation over lunch while <Chopper's name> and <Hardholder's name> were... negotiating. What were you talking about?

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 14, 2011, 12:20:41 AM »
That's pretty excellent advice, and I agree: some element to focus attention that begs to be resolved in some fashion is needed. However, I'm hesitant to prescribe one. AW doesn't have BITs for me to push around like BW does, which makes it a little harder for me to figure out how to throw situations at the players that they'll like. I've found that asking provocative questions during character introductions is a pretty decent substitute for BITs.

So I've been busy writing questions for the players and I think I need to focus these questions in such a way that it creates that tension, that "oh, fuck" situation that can't be overlooked. I'll throw them up here when I'm done with them and we'll see if I can manage to herd these cats in a specific, yet player-chosen direction. (And if I can't, fuck it, the Chopper's sister is being held hostage in the holding.)

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 13, 2011, 06:29:06 PM »
Quote
You could amend the move to say that "When you enter or leave the Bowl, one person in your traveling group rolls +sharp"

Yeah, that was implicit in my thinking. Being a Burner first and foremost I automatically think "Ok, you're all doing the same thing? One person roll, everyone else help (or hinder)."

I'm working on some questions to ask during character creation to sort of act as mad-libbed versions of MC love letters which will let the players fill in your questions. :) When I get them to a state I'm relatively happy with I'll post 'em.

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 13, 2011, 03:54:27 PM »
Good points about the cult stuff. I added some moves so the cult leaders get affected by adding or losing members (and therefore affects the battle).

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 13, 2011, 12:03:33 PM »
Here's some moves I came up with:

When you enter or leave The Bowl, roll+sharp. On a 7-9, choose 1. On a 10+ either choose 3 or choose 1 and mark experience.
- You make it across unharmed
- You make it across with all your supplies
- You make it across unseen
- The passage doesn't cave in or collapse

When the game starts, mark Hx-3 with the players on the other side.

If you betray your side, subtract 3 from your Hx with those players. If your Hx rolls over, do all the normal stuff.

Stolen from the back of the book:

When you infiltrate a place with stealth, roll+cool. On a 7-9, choose 1. On a 10+, both.
- You get in.
- You go unnoticed.

If you help someone on the other side or hinder someone on your own, choose 1:
- Mark experience.
- It doesn't come back to bite you.

If you use a weapon with loud and area in the bowl, roll+sharp. On a miss, you're acting under fire from parts of buildings coming down around you.

Hocus and Touchstone: When you recruit a new follower, every player on your side takes +1 forward.

Hocus and Touchstone: When you loose a follower to the other side, roll+weird. On a 10+ that's all that happens. On a 7-9, choose one. On a miss, the MC will choose one for you:
- You're in psychic pain, take -1 forward.
- The psychic pain manifests as physical pain, take 1 harm.
- You lost a key member and 2 other NPC members follow.
- There's doubt in your vision. An NPC will challenge your leadership.

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 13, 2011, 01:13:45 AM »
Yeah, this one is PvP, but teams. :) Oh, and I was going for playful over snarky before. My bad.

I'll dream up some custom moves and post 'em here.

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Apocalypse World / Re: Con Scenario: The Bowl
« on: October 12, 2011, 09:10:54 PM »
Hmm, I'm thinking this also needs a "twist" - like maybe a custom move that let's the Hocus peel off supporters from the Hardholder. Something like that.

Here's an idea:

When you make contact with a member of the cult, roll+Cool. On a 10+ you didn't know they stacked shit that high - they don't do anything for you. On a 7-9, mark a notch on a Cult countdown clock (if it hits 12, you're now on their side). On a miss, mark a notch on the clock and it's as if the cult member got a 10+ to manipulate you.

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