What I am reading, running, playing, planning, producing, and othercrazy ideas (updated as needed)

What I should be doing

Maps and layout for an adventure from Elf Lair Games
Layout on a supplement for Elf Lair Games

Writing up an one shot for Night's Black Agents

Writing up 40 different appetizers for All Flesh Must Be Eaten and potentially Rotworld

A second one shot for Night's Black Agents

A Games Day event in the South Bend area

What I’m reading

 

What I'm reading next

Whenever Craig Johnson wants to put out more Longmire books, I'm game. Until then...

 

What I’m running

What I would like to run or play

Investigation Special Unit #3 where law enforcement investigates the supernatural. It’s a home brew setting. One was set in Chicago, another in Miami. See WoD Y1 notes below in the Crazy Ideas section. 

Also...

What I’m playing

Hudson City Interface with Action Cards

Crazy ideas that might make good games

 with  

Ashen Stars + Firefly where the players take on the role of Lazers trying to bring justice to the frontier. It turns the setting as is on its head. I know this. I have run 2 or 3 campaigns set in the ‘verse and can’t see doing it again without a major rewrite. I ran it straight and with a heavy Deadlands influence. Time for something different. Time for a Firefly product that actually combines sci-fi and western tropes. I have not seen Monica's book, hers may do just that. Then, there's...

World of Darkness Year One:  The characters exist in a world where supernatural creatures are coming out in public. A “year one” story line, if you will. They would most likely portray law enforcement or a private security firm hired to deal with crimes committed by supernatural denizens. This is discussed in the Mirrors supplement, but I have my own take on it. I started discussing it here and here. I could do this via old WoD, new WoD, or Unisystem.

  
 

Runaways + The Runaways + BubbleGUMSHOE

or just Runaways + BubbleGUMSHOE using Mutant City Blues to supplement powers


What's been completed

What I am reading:  Streets of Bedlam, Deadlands Noir



And here's Steve's list

Alternate Escalation / Dungeon Dice for 13th Age

In this month's "See Page XX" over at the Pelgrane Press website is an article discussing elements that can be added to a game of 13th Age which will help it feel more "old school." Those elements include how mapping out dungeons could provide a bonus to die rolls to the players, how to include alignments and accoutrement related to alignments from past D&D style games, as well as, giving the enemy NPCs an escalation die of their own, and a few other ideas.

The basic idea of "The Meat Grinder" portion of the ideas (I'll wait here while you go read it), is as more enemies enter the fray or are encountered, the enemy escalation die (called the Dungeon Dice) number increases. It is not done every round. The article lists six ways to increase or decrease the number on the dungeon dice. I like the ideas presented here. I think it adds more crunch in a simple way. It also forces the players to play smarter, not use their characters to hit harder.

Reading through the article, I was struck with another idea on providing the enemy with an escalation die of their own. Instead of using what the article provides, my dungeon dice would be the goatee'd twin of the players' escalation dice. At the start of a combat, wherein the enemy has the advantage or elements of surprise, the dungeon dice starts at "6." Every round after this, as the escalation dice increases, the dungeon dice decreases. It represents the changing tide of battle. The enemies are losing steam, they no longer have the element of surprise, and the heroes are working their way towards another win.

So, what happens when the dungeon dice hits "0?" Nothing. The dice stays there, at "0." There is only one way for the dungeon dice to re-set in a combat. If a Big Bad or Level Boss enters into the combat after it has begun, the dungeon dice re-sets to "6." This is meant to represent their ability to encourage or rally their troops on to victory.

I have not used this rule in the game, yet. I think I may try it out during my next session. I have a scene where it would be appropriate by the standards of usage that I have set.

I also need to re-read the mook rules to see if I can use those anytime soon.