Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Blue World

You're not going to Smurfing believe this but...




Back in 2011 I came up with a Smurfs RPG based on a heavily modified version of Faery's Tale Deluxe that I put together for the purpose of, well, making a Smurfs RPG. We were only able to run a couple sessions before various issues made continuing too difficult (something I definitely lament). I did a lot of research and development for our Smurfs campaign, blending the original comic strips created by Peyo with the folklore and culture of France, Belgium, and other surrounding regions. 

Now it seems Maestro Media is making an official The Smurfs Roleplaying Game (featuring a Backerlit and Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign). I am unfamiliar with Maestro Media, though I believe they previously produced a Smurfs related board game. Very little information has been provided regarding the game, though there is this from the Backerlit post: 

'Are you ready for a smurftastic adventure!? Sign up for updates on our upcoming Kickstarter campaign for The Smurfs: Roleplaying Game and we'll send you the Quick-Start Guide digital PDF for FREE! It's 18 pages of Smurfy goodness and will provide you the core rules of the RPG and an introductory adventure called 'Papa Smurf Goes Missing'!

Be sure to also Follow our preview page on Kickstarter and join our private Smurfs RPG Design Group on Facebook! Links to these will be sent to you shortly via email.

The Maestro Team'

Obviously I am very interested. I'm pretty sure this will be a very different game from the one I made. This seems more aimed at kids and closer to classic comic strips and animated series. I definitely like the dice depicted in the image above. 

More information as it becomes available.

Smurf you next time!

AD
Barking Alien

*Post title a reference to 'Blue World' by who else? The Moody Blues.





Friday, July 26, 2024

I'm So Embarrassed! My Uncle is a Bullet Train! Chapter 1

A few weeks ago I was contacted by my friend Yasa who told me he had read my posts on the Japanese TRPG 'Tokyo Ghost Research' and mixing it with Ghostbusters. He really liked the idea, downloaded the game rules, and decided he was going to run a session of it with his friends at their favorite game cafe. 

The only issue was he didn't feel comfortable going in without a pre-made adventure and wasn't certain he could come up with one himself. While there are some pre-mades for TGR available online, none of them are written with the idea of adding Ghostbusters elements. He asked if I could help. His group was likely to be 4-5 players and the session would last about 4 hours. 

I told him I'd be glad to assist. I had a sudden jolt of inspiration and came up with a scenario in no time. We met up on Discord to discuss it and go over any questions or unclear details. The end result was, 'It Seems My Uncle is a Bullet Train!", the title of which Yasa changed to 'I'm So Embarrasse! My Uncle is a Bullet Train!'. He ran it the weekend of July 20-21. 

He told me how it went and said it was OK to share it with all of you. As English is not his first language, he said it was cool to paraphrase his story in my retelling. 

Here goes...

GHOSTBUSTERS:
TOKYO GHOST RESEARCH

'I'M SO EMBARRASSED! MY UNCLE IS A BULLET TRAIN!'


Left to Right: Ryōsuke, Isamu, Sachiko, Kei, and Kimiko


Overview/Premise: The Japan Railway Construction, Transport, and Technology Agency has received numerous complaints over the past few weeks about Bullet Trains on a particular line and/or their operators having schedule issues, performing incorrect operations, experiencing malfunctions, and being generally discourteous to riders. Unable to get to the bottom of the situation on their own or with Police assistance, the JRCTTA has contacted Ghostbusters: Tokyo Ghost Research just in case the problem is paranormal in nature. 

Player Characters: Yasa and I came up with a twist on the original Character Creation rules, allowing each Employee to choose up to two Career Types. If they intended to play a 'traditional' Proton Pack wearing Ghostbuster, one of their Careers must be Sales.

The group ended up with:

Isamu -Sales and Investigations - Specializing in Social Interactions with People and Physical Action.
Kei -Sales and Technology - Focused on Equipment and Paranormal Science. 
Kimiko - General Affairs - Coordinating her Team with Public/Government Bureaucracy and managing the Project overall. 
Sachiko - Sales and Investigations - Specialized in Social Interaction with Ghosts and Detective Work.
Ryōsuke 'Ryo' - Sales and Technology - Having a Positive Attitude and Psychic Abilities. 

As noted in my previous post on Character Creation in Tokyo Ghost Research, each character chooses 5 skills between their Career(s) and General Skills. Most of the characters here focused on Career Skills with the exception of Kimiko and Ryo. Since Kimiko only picked one Career, she had General Skills that complimented her General Affairs abilities, specifically Communications and Connections. Ryo was Irish-Japanese and had the Psychic Powers of Distant Impressions (Psychometry) and Spirit Perception.

How it went: 

Introduction Scene: The Employees are sitting around the Ghostbusters: Tokyo Ghost Research office trying to stay awake and look busy. It's been a while since they'd had a Project and they were all pretty bummed and bored. 

Isamu and Sachiko were slacking off, playing a video game against each other at their desks. 
Ryosuke had just come back from a vacation to Ireland and was showing trip photos to Kei.
Kimiko was keeping busy with other work, filling out forms that had piled up on her desk.

Suddenly, the boss threw open the door of his office and enthusiastically announced a Project had come in! He called Kimiko into his office, closed the door, and explained what the job was. Meanwhile, the other Employees were trying to ease-drop at the door. Kimiko was told to put a Sales Team together and have them head out to Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka, Japan. The boss's office door swung open once more, sending the group comically scrambling to appear as if they weren't attempting to listen in. Kimiko shakes her head, assembles the Employees, explains what's what, and hands the Ecto-K keys to Isamu (who took the General Skill 'Company Car'). 


Ghostbusters: Tokyo Ghost Research Company Car - The 'Ecto-K'
An Ecto-Vehicle variant based on the Japanese K-Truck


Phase I - Investigation: As the team drives to the project site (about 6-8 hours from Tokyo to Osaka), Kimiko makes some calls to Shin-Osaka Station and her contacts in the Osaka Police Department. She starts to put together a more detailed understanding of what's been going on and assembles a file she can read to the team and hand in to the boss. What she learns is interesting; not just in what her contacts say but also in what they don't. 

On the suggestion of Isamu and Sachiko, the group stops for food and restrooms. This allowed for Roleplaying and Character Development. Isamu and Sachiko are highly competetive with each other. They are both very 'act first, think later'. There is also, possibly, unspoken romantic feelings between the two. At the same time, Isamu flirts with any pretty girl he meets, causing Sachiko to stare daggers at him.

Ryo is health conscious and vegetarian. He has a mellow, relaxed, open-minded, and unconventional approach to life. He's warm and quite gregarious. Kei has a sweet tooth and only seems to eat sugary snacks, cakes, Pocky, etc.. She is introverted, nerdy, and socially awkward, while also being very intellectual and focused on her job. The two are quite opposite but get along really well. 

Kimiko calls the team and goes over what she learned. A few of the Bullet Trains running on a specific transit line, all of which pass through Shin-Osaka Station, have been performing strangely. Numerous maintenance checks have failed to reveal any mechanical problems. The trains in question open and close their doors at random intervals, speed up or slow down in the same fashion, and sometimes even turn or break in a way that has caused minor injuries. 

Only...

Speaking with her Law Enforcement contacts and reading the complaints very carefully she discovered a peculiar trend. In one instance, an older businessman yelled at a pregnant lady to hurry and get on the train; he even pushed her. Once she was on the doors suddenly and very quickly shut in the businessman's face and the train left the station. At another time, the doors refused to shut until two old women got on. The most curious incident occurred late one evening when a drunk man was harassing two high school girls coming home from an after-school club meeting. The train sped up and changed tracks abruptly, sending the man stubbling and falling hard to the floor. When he got up, the train did it again. The man got off at the next spot and was later treated for a badly bruised elbow and dislocated shoulder. 

"If this is a ghost at work it seems OK by me", said Sachiko. Isamu nodded in agreement while Ryo and Kei exchanged concerned glances. 

Once the PCs reached Osaka Station, Kei and Ryo immediately went to speak with the administrators, while Isamu and Sachiko went to explore the station platform. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary on the platform until they noticed a young woman in business attire eating onigari and drinking a bottle of lemon tea. They noticed that she sat, ate, watched a train or two go by and then left. Her expression was an odd mixture of happiness and sadness, switching between the two states several times. 

Kei and Ryo arrived not long after and Ryo tried using his Psychic Abilities to find signs of a supernatural presence. Kei walked beside Sachiko and Isamu as they continued to investigate, shining her Ghost Light into dark corners or anywhere they heard an odd sound. After a few hours the group was tired and frustrated (in character, having fun in real life) as they came up with theories as to what might be going on. Just as they were preparing to leave, the young woman from earlier returned. 

As most of the team went over to talk to her, Kei had the brilliant idea of calling Kimiko. Kei asked if they could get ahold of security footage of the platform. If so, she asked Kimiko to check it for the presence of the young woman. Kimiko got on it right away. 

"Good evening", Isamu began in a polite and cordial manner, "lovely weather isn't it?" The young woman only then noticed him and nodded yes, looking out over the tracks. "So...you must like trains." Isamu added, smiling wide and scratching the back of his head..

"I suppose", she said quietly, "my Uncle did. He liked them a lot. He was a train otaku, especially the shinkansen ('new main line' or what we in the US would call 'the Bullet Train')."
She started to tear up a little though her voice did not tremble. Ryo handed her a tissue. She thanked him so quietly no one could really hear her. "He would sit here with me for hours and tell me all about them. I loved that when I was younger. Not so much when I grew up. I just thought of him as my silly Uncle who loved trains."




Kei rejoined the others. Isamu asked her name and she replied that it was Kiko Sato. The Ghostbusters all introduced themselves to her. Ryo noticed the young woman had a book about trains in her bag. He motioned to it. "Was that his?" he asked. Again, she nodded yes but didn't speak. "May I...?", asked Ryo, gingerly stretching out his hand. At first she gave him the faintest of scowls but then relaxed seeing his warm smile. She shrugged and handed him the book. 

Ryo flipped through the tome but wasn't really reading it. He was using his Psychometry to get impressions of the woman's uncle off the book. As he did, Kei's cel phone rang and it was Kimiko. She confirmed that the young lady they were talking to came to the station twice a day, every two or three days, and had been doing so for a few weeks. She was never once seen boarding or getting off a train. 

"I'm guessing your Uncle died", said Sachiko matter-of-factly. Everyone gave her a cold, stern look and she reeled back in true 'Embarrassed Anime Girl' fashion. Big Sweat Drop on the back of her head. Kiko sighed and told them that yes, her Uncle passed away last month. A tired and depressed man most of the time, with a job he found boring and tedious. He ate poorly, smoked, and drank a bit too much. The only think that seemed to make him happy had been trains. "I'm sorry", said Sachiko, as much for her bluntness as for consoling Miss Sato. 

"I assume you're here about the strange reports of trains malfunctioning. It isn't the trains themselves, not exactly." The others were all about to say something but stopped themselves. Kiko stood up and said, with tears of shame, "I'm so embarrassed! My Uncle is a Bullet Train!" (the players burst out laughing at that moment). Before anymore could be said, Ryo's green eyes flashed bright blue and he turned around quickly towards the tracks.

"There's a train coming and yes, it's her Uncle!"




Chapter 2 coming soon - stay tuned!

AD
Barking Alien








Now Hear Me Out...

I was thinking about generating my own questions and/or prompts for this year's RPGaDay Challenge when suddenly I realized I'd made this...




The odd numbers are Prompts, done in 'classic' RPGaDay style; just one word that can be taken and interperted however you wish. 

The even numbers are Questions, though not really. They're actually more like discussion points or requests for participants to share an aspect of their game(s) with the larger RPG community. At least that's the hope. 

What do you all think? Any better than the official ones? Same old thing? Let me know. I am curious to get some feedback.

Thanks,

AD
Barking Alien






Saturday, July 20, 2024

A Giant Leap for Mankind or A Stumble in the Dark?

Is this an April Fools prank? A hoax? No?? It's real? Really real?

It's not my birthday. It isn't Xmas or Hanukkah. Life Day?

How can this be true? 

Well it is...it definitely is...




Modiphius Entertainment, the makers of my beloved Star Trek Adventurers, have announced that they are making a Space:1999 Roleplaying Game

I've brought up Space:1999, the British Science Fiction TV Series, only a few times in the past and as some may remember, that's the tagline for my Thorough Thursdays series. I had always intended to do a Thorough Thursdays about this show but never got around to it much to my dismay. Now I have every reason to do so...only its Saturday. Drat. Oh well, the show must go on! I'm too excited about this to wait until next week. 

I caught the show when it first aired in the US in 1975 and instantly fell in love. It was like a  a cross between Lost in Space and Star Trek, yet distinctly different in setting, plot, and atmosphere from both of those shows. The stories were somewhat darker and more surreal. The science of it was often wonky (Isaac Asimov famously lambasted the 'science' of the series in Cue Magazine in 1975) yet somehow gave off the feeling of being more 'realistic' due to its tone and look. 




I for one ate it up. I had the Mattel Eagle 1 Spaceship (the Eagle Transporter), action figures, the toy prop Stun Gun and Communicator, and even went as a Moonbase Alpha crewman one Halloween (not a store bought costume but a total homebrew - long sleeve colored shirt underneath another white one with one sleeve removed. Vintage/second hand clothes are magic). 

I've always wanted to run a Space:1999 RPG but never have as best I can recall. The series has absolutely influenced many of my Sci-Fi campaigns such as Star Trek, Traveller, Red Dwarf, and more but I have never done a dedicated Space:1999 game. The reasons for this are really three fold:

While I was and am a fan of Space:1999, my working knowledge of the setting and its elements is no where near as strong as those of Star Trek, Star Wars, ALIEN, or Red Dwarf. I would need to re-familiarize myself with the series in a big way in order to feel comfortable running it as a campaign. 




Am I alone in my love for Space:1999? I've seen a lot of people on the internet surprised that Modiphius chose this particular franchise to produce as an RPG. Most noted positive but only vague memories of the show or a hope that some other Gerry Anderson property would be made into a game (most notably UFO or Thunderbirds). My concern now is the same as it was in the past - do enough people know about and like Space:1999 enough for me to find players?




Lastly, the setting focuses on one 'world', Earth's Moon. On it is a single, large base known as Moonbase Alpha which is occupied by 311 crewmembers*. That's kind of limiting when compared to the settings of other modern SF RPGs. In the RPG to come, are you one of the 311 on Alpha? Don't we know we (the Player Characters) aren't the ones in charge unless the players are controlling John Koenig, Helena Russell, or Alan Carter?




The question that comes to mind would be the same one I'd have if I were running a Star Trek campaign set on the original series Enterprise; if we come upon a derelict alien vessel and we're not playing Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, how is it that the PCs get to go on a mission to investigate it? If we are assigned to accompany the leads, do the NPCs (again, Kirk, Spock, McCoy) decide what to do? That doesn't sound like fun even though it makes internal sense.

Personally, I am very excited to see this game and will definitely be picking it up. I do hope that the book dedicates a significant portion of the GM section to how you play this given the parameters of the milieu.




Until then, "Loyalty is better than logic; Hope is better than despair; Creation is better than destruction".

AD
Barking Alien

*Between character deaths and new births during the course of the show's two seasons, Moonbase Alpha has approximately 284 occupants (including at least one baby as I recall). 










Sunday, July 7, 2024

It's Nearly That Time Again...

Next month the RPGaDay Challenge returns for 2024 with yet another 31 prompts that once again seem pretty uninspired. Ugh. My main issue with them, as in previous years, is they don't start conversations but simply require answers.




Asking what the first game I purchased this year was doesn't really give cause for a discussion. I tell you what it was, maybe what I think of it, and sure maybe you have an opinion on that game but you could just as easily go, 'Huh. OK.', and move on. A better question might be, "What's the most recent game you've encountered that impressed you? Why were you impressed?"

Here are the prompts in standard text form and my first thoughts - totally going word association, first thing that pops into my mind here:

1 - First RPG bought this year

Really? See above.

2 - Most recently played

OK. Fine. Maybe this could start a discussion.

3 - Most often played RPG

Ever? OK. Feel like I've answered this many times.

4 - RPG with great art

Sure. 

5 - RPG with great writing

Sure.

6 - RPG that is easy to use

'kay. Getting bored already.

7 - RPG with 'good form'

WTH does this mean? Well laid out? Not sure how to answer.

8 - An accessory you appreciate

Sure. Favorite Supplement or whatever. 

9 - An accessory you'd like to see

This is good. Gives us new ideas.

10 - RPG you'd like to see on TV

'On TV'? As a commercial? Actual play? A show based on it? Hmm.

11 - RPG with well supported one-shots

Don't care. Create my own.

12 - RPG with well supported campaigns

Don't care. Create my own.

13 - Evocative environments

This could be interesting. I love exotic locales.

14 - Compelling characters

This could also be cool though nothing unique. We hear about peoples' characters all the time.

15 - Great character gear

Could be interesting.

16 - Quick to learn

A game that's quick to learn? This has to be a separate prompt from #6? Seems the answer to that one could easily cover this one too.

17 - An engaging RPG community

No idea. I don't really deal in RPG communities per se.

18 - Memorable moment of play

Sooo many. Sooo Sooo many.

19 - Sensational session

OK, this could be fun.

20 - Amazing adventure

Sure. Similar to last one.

21 - Classic campaign

Campaigns I have known/played. Check.

22 - Notable non-player character

I think #14 should read 'Compelling Player Character', otherwise you shouldn't have this one.

23 - Peerless player

I like this. 

24 - Acclaimed advice

Oh boy! A chance to give one of my 'hot takes'. I never get to do that. lol My only question here is 'acclaimed'? Are you asking for gaming advice from some official source that I find useful? I am now confused.

25 - Desirable dice

Really? Pass.

26 - Superb screen

Pass. Does not apply.

27 - Marvellous miniature

Pass. Does not apply.

28 - Great gamer gadget

Pass. Not even sure what this means. 

29 - Awesome app

Pass.

30 - Person you'd like to game with

I think I've seen this question before. Possibly multiple times. Could be interesting but it also feels mundane.

31 - Game or gamer you miss

This I can do but it makes me sad. Are you trying to make me sad RPGaDay 2024?

Alternative - Amazing anecdote

This is always fun. 'Sit down kids. Let ol' Barkley tell'ya about the time...'

Now get a load of this...





Easy to read, no? Yeah, no.

In addition to these prompt options, the main site gives an alternate list created by someone named Skala Wyzwania. Many of these are so specific and Fantasy/D&D focused that...well...it kind of turns me off. That said, some of these aren't half bad. I don't know. Am I crazy or is there some potential here?

Text version of the alternative campaign:

1 – Runes 16 - Dungeon
2 – Forest 17 - AI
3 – Demonology 18 - Curse
4 – Cosmos 19 – Hologram
5 – Fairies 20 - Battle 
6 – Portal                         21 - Disaster
7 - Forgotten City 22 - Interdimensional Space
8 – Experiment 23 - Ritual
9 – Heroes 24 - Antique
10 – Steampunk 25 - Mutant
11 – Invasion 26 - Tattoo
12 - Parallel Worlds. 27 - Shapeshifting
13 – Zombie 28 - Mimic
14 – Awakening 29 - Knight
15 – Genetics 30 - Trap 
31 - Dragons

In addition, it is suggested that each day you can roll 1D10 to go with the prompt result on the following chart.

1 - Describe a Monster

2 - Create an NPC

3 - Write a Bulletin Board Quest

4 - Invent an Item

5 - Write a legend or rumour 

6 - Create a random table

7 - Create a simple mechanic

8 - Present an idea for a Random Encounter

9 - Write an Eavesdroppable Dialogue

10 - Draw!

It seems like this random roll (roll or choose of course) would be instead of the 31 prompts listed. I suppose you could also do one in addition to a prompt if the response to said prompt is kind of short. 

So there you have it. The 2024 RPGaDay Challenge ladies, gentlemen, and non-binary friends.

Hurray?

I want to do it, I really do, but I can already see myself becoming frustrated. What to do, what to do?

Stay tuned...

AD
Barking Alien






Lazy Days of Summer

Sorry for the long delay in getting out posts. Summer has been kicking my butt between an ever changing work schedule and the rather intense heat. I exist in two states lately: Totally revved up and unconscious. No middle ground. 

I still have a lot of Japanese TRPG related subjects I want to talk about but it's taking me longer than intended to get my sources and thoughts together. Fear not, my next entry in my 31 Days/31 Characters project is coming soon(ish). I'm sure the anticipation has been keeping you all up at night.

At present I am involved in a number of online TRPG campaigns and between playing, prepping, and running, a lot of spare time is taken up there as well. I am really enjoying all the games I'm in, so no regrets in that area. Let me give you a brief 'State of Gaming' update:

The longest running campaign I've ever gamemastered continues. Our Star Trek campaign entitled 'Star Trek: Prosperity' using the Star Trek Adventures system by Modiphius games, keep going boldly. Mentioned on this blog numerous times in the past, the campaign in now in its eighth year and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. I've got a lot of stories yet to tell. Although a Second Edition of the game is on its way, we are still using First, largely because I've made a few adjustments and houserules and said changes are tied to First. Not sure if I need a Second Edition. We'll see. 

I am also running a weekly classic Traveller campaign I call 'Second Survey' in which the PCs are part of the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service's Grand Survey II in the Imperial Year 1024. Their mission is to visit the worlds in the Solomani Frontier Sector of Daibei (specifically starting out in the Outback Subsector) and make sure the information in the Imperial Library Data on these planets matches the reality of their present conditions. Due to the Solomani Rim War that occurred two decades past, much of this info is roughly twenty years out of date. Updates to things such as resource and trade potential, changes in population and/or government, and the like earn the PCs extra pay from their Patron, which is the IISS itself. 

As for playing, the other really long running game I'm involved in is the [roughly] biweekly Hogwarts/Wizarding World of Harry Potter campaign using a homebrew system. The campaign's 'official' title is 'Hogwarts: A Mystery' and is run by my friend Alex, who serves as First Officer and Chief Engineer Bhoth in our Star Trek: Prosperity game. I've mentioned this Hogwarts campaign a number of times in prior posts and it is now in its sixth or seventh year of real time. We, the PCs that is, are Fifth Year Students in House Ravenclaw. My character is Francis 'Frank' Pellgrove and he ranks among the most enjoyable PCs that I've ever played.

Lastly, I am both playing and running in a Star Trek Adventures campaign set in the time of Lower Decks (roughly), the early to mid-2380s. Entitled 'Star Trek: Copernicus'; the game features rotating Gamemasters, with each of the players serving a turn as referee. It has been interesting to say the least. Overall the adventures have been quite good, even great, though I feel my own have been kind of hit and miss (more miss). For some reason I'm finding it hard to motivate the other players to engage with the type of stories I want to explore. It may be that my more 'Original Series' approach isn't jiving with their 'TNG-DS9-Voyager'; mindsets. 

We are presenting going through the 'Season 1 Finale' adventure. After this we may take a break...literally. One of the players wants to GM BREAK!!. It might be a one-shot or it might be a short series. After that, who knows? Could be Star Trek: Copernicus Season 2, could be a short stint of something else...we shall see.

I am generally really happy with the gaming I'm participating in, though as always my thoughts leap to stranger and less traveled roads. I really want to run some sort of Horror game (though no idea what kind), wouldn't mind exploring a period such as 17th Century Pirates or the Wild West, and hope to get back to Ghostbusters at some point. All the while Anime/Manga influenced Japanese TRPGs call to me with their J-Pop siren songs. I also really want to run a Fantasy RPG - I know, I know - but more on that another time.

Sigh.

Man I don't like the Summer. Is it Autumn yet?

AD
Barking Alien