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Messages - Maleficum

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16
Apocalypse World / Re: When there's no PC hardholder...
« on: January 11, 2017, 02:59:30 PM »
Wow! That's cool DannyK. Especially if it's a benevolent/likeable Hardholder.

I think I experienced it from an PC Hardholder once, as the Gunlugger and Battlebabe had complained about my Brainer being a terrible threath and the Hardholder said in really clear terms that "[Brainer] has prover her loyalty over and over again, she's just come home after being tortured. You [gunlugger], you don't pull your share here!"    ... and the situation was ended with 'im as a end-scene quote to the sniper-Battlebabe: "... you know, if [brainer] ever becomes a threath..."  and the [Battlebabe] responded: "Sure. With pleasure."

The NPC Hardholders shouldn't do anything less than PCs, just be easier to read and have simpler imperatives. :D

17
Apocalypse World / Re: Search for Article - threaths and fronts
« on: January 10, 2017, 08:56:54 AM »
Celebrations! The generations of Apocalypse Worlders will enjoy the wisdom right until the last days before Harmageddon! (Thank you, Vincent.)

18
Apocalypse World / Re: Search for Article - threaths and fronts
« on: January 09, 2017, 07:08:05 PM »
Yes! Thank you, Paul T.

19
Apocalypse World / Search for Article - threaths and fronts
« on: January 09, 2017, 07:28:37 AM »
I found a truly brilliant AND easy-to-understand article that explained how threaths fitted in fronts, what they symbolized, what moves suited what threath, etc. I even bragged that I'd send it to my MC, but after a computer crash I can't seem to find it. I think I found it here, but it was an external link.

Do anyone know what article I'm talking about? Do anyone know how to find it?
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Something that stuck out was how the Grotesque is the mouth of a front, the teller of "what here in Denmark is rotten", so to speaketh.

20
Thanks, Rubberduck! This is good and useful shit that will help our campaign grow!

21
Thank you, Daniel Wood, this is, as your prescence on this forum, gold! I'm really looking forward to exploring this, as I really have no clue of what to expect. I'm even contemplating that the underground-milleu isn't part of the real Apocalypse, as that happened to those living in the techwonder city above. I guess we'll find out by playing. Getting in the mindset is nice, I really liked the dreams. I think maybe the infected Cobalt should start to dream of electric sheep... or something similarily innocuous.

22
Apocalypse World / Re: When there's no PC hardholder...
« on: January 08, 2017, 12:05:52 PM »
Thank you all for great thoughts, excellent writing and both inspiration and assurance that the choices I/The Conversation make.


I remember Cheyenne, who was a female hardholder who tried to do her best for the society. She was a potential threath to the Hocus and the Faceless. The Hocus' cult was really industrious and nice, allthough the seremonies was about sinning and fire and they soon evolved differently. The Faceless was partners, if not friends, with Cheyennes go-to-man. Cheyenne had a thing for the Driver, and they responded to a booty-call out of fear (for the safe haven) and ended up with -1-ongoing for almost the complete campaign. Oh, and she became a scary threath when the Faceless' discarded mask took her...


Now the only threath Hindenburger is involved in is the Angel's vision of her being shot by Cobalt. Cobalt was stitched together and on a 7-9 result I assured the Angel that Cobalt would survive the surgery.

23
Apocalypse World / Re: Confused about Pack Alpha (Chopper)
« on: January 06, 2017, 04:37:31 PM »
Sorry all, I'm still lost with the harder interpretations of MCs like Ebok and Daniel Wood --

If the Chopper chooses "You don't have to make an example out of one of them," they don't do what you want, and they fight back.  What is the incentive for picking this?  The whole reason the Chopper ended up in this situation is because he gave an order -- why wouldn't he want this followed? 

I'm still lost as to why you'd ever choose anything other than "They do what you want," on a 7-9.

Once I played an Hardholder and gave an order to get something and as soon as I saw the 7-9 result realized that it wasn't that important and said: "Never mind, I'll get it myself!" before I punched the nearest guy and said. "Next time I give an order I want you to run at once."   (I became a little more careful in spouting trivial orders from then on. A little. Just a little bit. Yeah.)

Same character barked an order to attack some guys. (We were mainly a female chopper band and we looked after those weaker than us, especially other women.) On the 7-9 I had them fight me, and while everyone argued I did not have to make an example out of anyone and while they didn't follow my order most of them came along when I said "they tried to assault [some women], I'm getting after them, anyone can join me, those that don't should think closely if they want to ride with us".

My advice is to play the game, and worry about things when they come along (which is the perfect way to play The Chopper, in my opinion). In the latest example the MC could have said that one of them lifted a gun against me, and when I shot'er I'd go along and say to the MC: "well, they fought me (verbally) and I had to make an example out one of them, maybe now they'll come along?"

Disclosure: This was a minimal scene, in which The Battlebabe and Gunlugger was just as invested as my Chopper in ending the assaults. We did a sweep and then the problems stopped and the hardholder made me "policer" (the Gunlugger who was in his 60s half-remembered many things from before) and I think it inspired the MC to seek out someone gunning for leadership of the gang.

24
So, we're stuck beneath a north american city, like a comic book-version of New York or whatever. Think 12 monkeys, think caverns and tunnels, and we're afraid to go up. I'm MC, and in the first session we entered the City's sewer and it's still many layers of rubble. We're thinking there could be killer robots, hoverboards and the Savvyhead is trying to make a skeleton key-eyeball, for all the doors/elevators/whatnot that the scavenger-teams meet up with.

So what should we expect? What would be cool to experience? (The Characters call the Psychic Maelstrom "the web", "the blood rivers" and "the shadowrealm/otherrealm". I'm really tempted to steal inspiration from Kaare Berg's SOURCE CODE hack here. We've just played 1st session, I'm certain the communal table-chatter will bring us exciting things, though I'm a little intimidated on performing the MC-job for such a stellar group.

25
Apocalypse World / When there's no PC hardholder...
« on: January 06, 2017, 03:54:18 PM »
So, the classic "so who's boss, is it one of you..?"-leading question left a big "no". Luckily the nice person who everybody looks to and has done so for a long time ended up married to the though guy-Angel Grip. She's named Hindenburg and is more a leader and caring individual who tries to make life in Train Station good for everyone, and relies heavily on the Council of people who knows stuff. This means she leans heavily on her husband The Angel, The Savvyhead ("if there's one thing you can count on, it's thing's break") and The Hocus, who got the answer on a read person that HE couldn't do anything to strenghten her resolve, but her husband did so regulary.


I've had this before, and sometimes The Chopper is the boss, or otherwise I make a hardholder with good and bad sides. I try to make the hardholder female (I should definitely make the next MC-hardholder a transperson), mainly because it's cool and a really good habit to make the boss female. (I often GM for kids, at summer school and the like.)


Do you have any Do's and Don'ts? Good habits, nice tricks or just scene-framing-routines for when there's another (benevolent) big playerâ„¢ in town?

And talking about benevolent? What kind of threath is she/he/they?   


If my questions and prompts fail to enthuse, tell us about a NPC hardholder/leader type who worked good in your campaign (before ...or after... eating it).

26
Apocalypse World / Re: A big ass name list.
« on: January 06, 2017, 03:36:04 PM »
Thank you Trevis and Ten of Swords, but I'd also like to thank Major_Eclectic who made a really useful tool! When I need to name three of the Hardholder goons or a family that's hungry, this can be used. (Even if I rarely, ever?, use electronic tools at the table. I think I'll actuall use this now, so I don't do the ol' By the Alphabet-routine.)

Thanks everyone who makes stuff for Apocalypse World.

(...and every game, really, even the one's I don't play.)

27
Apocalypse World / Re: Confused about Pack Alpha (Chopper)
« on: December 14, 2016, 05:08:44 PM »
We're a bit confused on how the 7-9 choices work with Pack Alpha.  Generally, when given a list of three from which you can pick one, I'm assuming that that means the other two options happen in the negative.  Here's how I'm reading the hypothetical scenarios:

We're a bit confused on how the 7-9 choices work with Pack Alpha.  Generally, when given a list of three from which you can pick one, I'm assuming that that means the other two options happen in the negative.  Here's how I'm reading the hypothetical scenarios:

  • You choose, "They do what you want," and then your gang fights back and you must make an example of one of them.  This one seems pretty clear.
  • You choose, "They don't fight back," but they don't do what you want?  Additionally, you must make an example of one of them?  Does this mean they shrug their shoulders and ignore you?  Subsequent action requires additional moves, like "Go Aggro?"
  • You choose, "You don't have to make an example of one of them," but they fight back, and also don't do what you want?  What does this look like?

I'm confused about what the second two options look like in execution for both the MC and the Chopper.  Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom.

Hypotheticals are always difficult; it should be way easier for the one actually portraying The Chopper if they ever find themselves in a position were they roll a minor success for Pack Alpha!

I've played a Chopper once and have had two in campaigns I've MCed - and the old Hx-line (after memory): "Everyone else,  -1, you don't care so much about, you know, ...people.

As The Chopper - the gang is yours, and your's alone! If you have to break Dice or Jaccabacka's nose to spur them to action, what's it to you? The gang is yours, but you don't care (to much*) about them induvidually. To decline an order isn't something they can, at least not so long as you breathe (or grow...**).

Quote from: Ebok
I wanted to address this specifically. I'd probably not have the Pack Alpha even be rolled before before they "encountered resistance", because its easy work up to that point, why'd they refuse easy work? Its when you put your foot down and say, some of you, you're going to fucking die for me today, cause I said so. If they dont want to, then hello pack alpha. 

Ebok is off course right. The choices isn't choices on a list, it's second nature to a Chopper. They're not that difficult.



To form an example: Pinky wants her gang to drive convoy for Carrerra (The Driver, I think maybe Pinky has the hots for hir). The Gang don't like it, and maybe she could read the sitch, but she is the boss. Maybe the MC shows future badness and have someone mutter about useless time spent[/grumble], but they won't argue. Not now.

When Pinky tells them to protect Carrerra over the Burn Flats and through Dremmer's territory, that's when their self-reliance kicks in. Sooner or later the MC will have Pinky roll pack alpha. She might:

Break Dice' nose/shoot Baby in the leg, in other word's make an example out of them and say "On second thought, I'll do it my self. I need to take the hog for a long run, you all stay here and keep head's out!"   She's chosen to not have them do it, but they don't fight her over it. She could choose to have them do it, but then she'd better be ready to fight for it. Sure, a Chopper should only order them to do what they really care about, but then again, it's not like they, you know, care to much about, like people.

The move is rather harsh, but so is Apocalypse World, and it really drives the fiction! If the Chopper cares about her gang, she could like, pay attention to any unruly elements (to know who to make examples out of) and maybe even get a +1 for reading a charged sitch and acting upon the answer before rolling pack alpha.

I think any of the three options are good, and I can think of several hypothetical scenarios were the gang don't do what The Chopper will, but a manipulate/seduce an NPC move might get Domino too take Wire and Shit head to ride guard for "Carrerra's like...car, or something"...

* my chopper, Diamond, actually cares a lot about their freedom. Nobody should tell them what to to, and they should live life to the fullest, protect the weak, take no orders - but Diamond's!  :enthusiastic complex standards-smiley:

**  by taking another playbook, perhaps?

28
I think there's a lilttle fine-tuning each group and MC need to work out for themselves, but in general I find it best to not have NPCs be that complicated. That means they'll respond to simple suggestions, not convoluted scenarios. Also, they'll follow simple impulses from Maslov's pyramid of needs, to the impulses of genitalia and triggerfingers.

In the first example, if I got it right (and with my approach I don't need to as an NPC), I'd have the patriarch respond with denying the subversive deal.


Entretoise (brainer PC): "Fine, you can have Soleil if you take Boil-face"

Patiarch (NPC):              "What? You're threathening me?" *points gun/have men pointing guns toward Boil-Face*

MC: "What do you do?"


Quite simply, the people of Apocalypse World respond immediately. The Patriarch might escalate (if he does't like being threathened). Offer him something he'd want (now), and maybe he will find it easier to let Soleil go (for now).

Entretoise: "Give me Soleil until the next desert storm (a few weeks), and I'll interrogate Dustwich/convince Lemieux to build that contraption/tell you how you can sleep with the light off again*/or whatever approriate to the characters, fiction andtable comfort." If leverage is held, roll to manipulate. (I'd let people help as they wanted, entaglements are gold! For the MC. Entaglements with mindfuckers, even more so.)




* Brainers are spooky. I've played a "clever" Brainer, I had much more leverage being spooky. When I stopped talking and just doing stuff the Hardholder (whom I loved) started to tell everyone how devoted I was. The people of Apocalypse World really aren't clever. At all. 

29
Apocalypse World / Re: Apocalypse World 2nd Edition
« on: August 01, 2015, 09:30:48 AM »
I already started playing hacked AW2E in weekly games. It is Great fun. I am interested in seeing how the other changes end up, and of course, will be adding the book into the collection regardless.

I never did have any issue understanding the potential of the base moves though. I'm really not sure which part confused people in AW1E. Looking forward for the new rule-pieces to chop up into other stuff >:D

After John Harper explained seize by force as "when you're more interested in what the other(s) got, instead of what they can do" it clicked. The other moves are great, though I needed to play to understand how play (i.e. fiction) dictates what moves are rolled.


I really love the change-stat-moves, but I think I'd like more moves for at least Cool and Weird, though I realize that awesome campaign-defining moves help roll for those stats were the moves are substituted.


30
Apocalypse World / Re: Apocalypse World 2nd Edition
« on: July 31, 2015, 05:26:46 AM »
I like the new stuff I've seen, and allthough I kind of like the prerogative to stay with the Playbook's owner, it's probably better and more close to common practice to let the conversation deal.

I think probably my favorite thing about Apocalypse Word was Hx and how your playbook helped define you, the relationship between the others and even the others (to at least a minor extent).

"You left me bleeding once, and did nothing", "you've been beside me and seen everything I've seen" and "you've been with me since before" are not only profound statements, but they lend inspiration to evocative questions bringing the game and the game world further from the get-go.

I think the Skinners are really powerful, and define the untangible power of some entrancing personality in a world of crumbs, rust and gunsmoke.

"You're my friend, gunlugger", "you're my lover, Hocus... and Hardholder, you're in love with me, -1Hx"


I think this will get better, and I like that everyone will have to work for a living. (In our current game I think we're all mooching off the Harholder.)

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