Too Many Ideas Syndrome

Too Many Ideas Syndrome. Apparently this is really a thing. It's sometimes called 'idea-ism'. Yeah, I've definitely got it bad right now. 

My lack of posting is not because I have nothing to talk about or show you all but rather the opposite; I have so many RPG concepts runninlg through my head I don't know where to begin. Adding to the problem is that many of them are only half finished and poorly organized. 

Let's start with a 'State of Gaming' update, shall we?

Currently as of this post...

I am playing Hogwarts: A Mystery

Now in its 6th or 7th year, the campaign follows students - currently 5th Years - in House Ravenclaw. It is full of teen angst and drama, setting based angst and drama, action, suspense, and other kinds of angst and drama. The GM is very into making children suffer. No, no...in a good way!

The game runs bi-weekly with my friend Alex as Gamemaster and four players including myself. My character, Francis 'Frank' Pellgrove, goes on the short list of all time favorite PCs I've ever had. The system is a homebrew extremely loosely based on Apocalypse World but really nothing like it at this point. 

I have been running SMURFS

Over the past month I've run a three session scenario and a one-shot scenario using the Quickstart Guide rules for the upcoming Smurfs officially licensed RPG by Maestro Media. I'm pretty much obsessed and I love the game. Getting people to play it may be the biggest challenge one faces with the game but based on my own experience most truly mature gamers will give it a try. After all, those are the people most comfortable with not taking the hobby too seriously. 

Upcoming posts will discuss the Player Characters from both games and later I'll talk about the adventures themselves. 

I am still running Star Trek: Prosperity

Our Original Series era Star Trek Adventures campaign is still going strong, with all the sessions so far this 'season' (Season 8 that is! Eight years of Star Trek: Prosperity! Woohoo!) being good and a few being great! We've had a couple of real bangers! Very much looking forward to the next three missions, the last ending in a 'Season Finale Cliffhanger'!  

This game is [usually] played bi-weekly. I am the Gamemaster and we have four players. It ranks as my longest running single campaign ever. 

Coming up...

I will be running Champions: UNITY again

My weekend group is returning to our Champions campaign after experimenting with a host of other concepts with mixed results. Our campaign is set in yet another version of my friend William Corpening's 'Age of Champions' setting, this time on Champions Earth-Alpha Delta-1A. The campaign is already three years old and the players are eager to get back to their characters and this universe. Actually, one player will be using a new character.

I have mixed feelings on this personally. I am not really feeling 'Superheroes' at the moment and I'm having trouble coming up with a new or interesting angle. Don't get me wrong, I have some ideas for villains and scenarions but I'm lacking...I don't know...that certain something, ya'know? 

I will largely be playing Star Trek: Copernicus

After the Smurfs my Midweek Group is going back to our Star Trek Adventures campaign, Star Trek: Copernicus. This game is...good...sometimes great...sometimes just OK. It's been a tad inconsistent and that's not surprising. We've been doing a 'Revolving GM' situation, with the four players each taking turns as the Narrator when they had a solid adventure idea. Going forward it seems that one of us will be the 'lead' Narrator, having quite a lot of ideas and enthusiasm for the game.

I like my character a lot and that goes a long way towards making the game fun. 

In the near future...

I would like to run Space:1999

A fan of the series and intrigued by the rules, I would love to run a short campaign of this, partially to see if it has legs. That is to say, I'd likely run a three session 'pilot' adventure and gage interest in doing more.

Halloween is coming and I have Spooky Games in mind

Obviously I would love to revisit Ghostbusters. My hope is I'll get to run at least a one-shot scenario with my A&D/'The Home Office' group sometime in October. With any luck I might also be able to set up a Ghostbusters: Tokyo Ghost Research adventure with my friends in Japan. 

On that note, I want to finish my recap of the 'I'm So Embarrassed! My Uncle is a Bullet Train!' game. I'll also post some general ideas for more Ghostbusters RPG paranormal activities (see what I did there?). 

Another one-shot [or maybe two-to-three-shot] I'd love to run is Peekaboo (aka Peekaboo Horror), The Neighborhood Ghost Story TRPG from Japan that I adore but rarely get to the table. I also have a recounting of my first time playing it coming up next month so be on the look out for that. 

Finally...

What should really be an entire post all on its own (and might be soon) is this nagging desire to run...hold on to socks...Fantasy. 

Specifically I am wanting to run Fantasy with an Anime twist. Like...imagine if what I did with Superhero gaming to create The Winghorn Guard and my world of Aerth was done with Anime/Manga tropes in mind. Although Aerth does have considerable Anime/Manga influences already. Hmm. 

I really want to do this but I keep running into two major snags: I just don't love Fantasy gaming for a variety of reasons and I can find a system I really like that does what I want. 

Arrgh! 

*Sigh* Oh well. I'm glad I got that off my chest. Let's finish up with the Smurfs RPG for now so I can move on to other discussions.

Thanks for letting me prattle on.

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Barking Alien 

I've been so busy with Real LifeTM that I've missed some very important acknowledgements.

 

On September 9th of this year the world lost an entertainment icon in the person of James Earl Jones. A multiple award winning pioneer of theatre and film, Jones was a fascinating man before and after his long career of acting and voice overs. While best known to fandom as the voice of Darth Vader and Conan's nemesis Thulsa Doom, I highly recommend looking into this fellow's life outside these roles if you haven't already. Epic. 

Rest in Peace Mister Jones. 

September 24th was the birthday of Muppets creator Jim Henson. I don't even know where to begin talking about my feelings regarding Jim, one of my all time heroes. I've discussed him many times in the past and if you're interested you can look back to previous posts on the man. Henson is another fellow I suggest reading up on for the incredible life he lead and the impact he had on generations of fans and creatives. A documentary about him entitled 'Jim Henson Idea Man' is currently available on Disney+ and while it was tough for me to watch I definitely suggest checking it out. 

September 25th, yesterday, was the birthday of the amazing Mark Hamill. Actor, voice actor, and vigilant, outspoken, opponent of stupidity, Mark is a gawd dang national treasure. Happy Birthday Mark!

RPGaDay Challenge 2022 - Day 22-27

These being separate entries seems...umm...kinda weak. A bit of a cop out if you don't mind me saying. You could have had one of the post days ask say something like, 'Tell us about your current character', and had five more interesting questions for us in the days that followed.

Also, what if you are in more than one campaign and have multiple current characters? Heck, I've been in games of Star Trek and Champions where I played more than one character in a single campaign. That's pretty much the default for Ars Magica. I know I could just pick one but it's just... 

Also also, what if you're a 'Forever GM' type of Gamemaster? You're lucky you caught me at a good time as through much of my 45 years in the hobby I was only a GM, rarely playing in any games regularly enough to have a character worth mentioning. 

Anyway, I don't really feel like going through each of these individually so here goes nothing all in one fell swoop...

I currently play two characters, though both games have taken a short break due GM and player commitments and end of Summer travel. 

The first is Francis 'Frank' Pellgrove, my 5th Year Ravenclaw student in my friend Alex's homebrewed Hogwarts/Wizarding World campaign. He isn't currently in much of a situation, having just completely an adventure arc wherein spirit-like magical entities tried to possess most of the students and facility of the school for complicated reasons. 

I've been playing Frank - or Frankie as my friend Dan's character Gretchen calls him - for nearly 6 years now. He's been all over, from Hogsmeade to a Tropical Island full of Pirates hidden inside of a Tea Cup. 

Frank is a good soul, a salt of the Earth, simple but honest lad from a small, rural farm in Northumbria. He loves animals, be they magical or mundane, is interested in plants, loves food of all kinds (often eating things his friends would shy away from) and never passes up a chance to get dirty. He is a very physical Wizard and therein is what makes him unique and special. He rarely casts spells, keeping his wand tucked away in his back pocket or in his belt. 

You see for Frank no 'Expelliarmus' is as disarming as tackling your opponent to the ground or punching them in the stomach. For all their powers, you'd be surprised how unprepared Wizards are for someone throwing a hard right hook. Now don't get him wrong, Frank isn't a violent fellow. No sir or madam or anyone else if it pleases you. However, if you threaten to cause harm to his friends, his family, his school, or any beastie, prepare to be expecto-ed right in the patronum. 

What has changed about Frank over the course of the campaign is so big I am not sure how to explain it here. A lot of it can be summed up in an exchange between Frank and his friend (and fellow PC, played by my buddy Leo), Aremis Bonaventure.

Frankie pointed out that the OWLS and NEWTS tests were not something he was really ever concerned about. Sure, he'll want to do well when he takes them but to Frank they don't matter. Frank will go home and be a shepherd and farmer, inheriting the family farm, small and low-end though it may be. If he passes his tests he'll be a Farmer and if he fails them he'll be a farmer. I cast Hakuna Matata!

Aremis suggested he - Frank - didn't have to be a farmer. He could be anything he wanted to be. This absolutely blew Frank's mind. That thought had never even occurred to him. When Aremis starting suggesting occupations, including working with creatures (Frank never uses the word Monster) in the field and even as a sort of Magical Oceanographer (long story - short version: Frank has developed an interest in boats and Sea Creatures in particular), Frank almost fainted. After that conversation, Frank saw life a little differently; it was not only full of beauty and wonder but strange and unpredictable possibilities. His world got a lot bigger in an instant. 

My other current character is Panopus 'Blinky' Dodomek, a Boosodian Mercenary and former Bodyguard to high ranking Hutts in a mid-level cartel. A laid back, gentle giant type fellow with a little 'Goodfellas' thrown in. I'll be honest, I like him but I don't 'know him' yet. He's my character in a Forged in the Dark campaign using Scum and Villainy, as well as a fan produced Star Wars skin called 'Hutt Space'. 

It's OK so far. I like it enough but the system kind of gets in the way of just playing the character and the story sometimes. I am far too aware of the gaminess of it. It's still a work in progress though so we'll see how it goes. 

That's it. Something else coming later today. See you then. 

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Barking Alien

State of Gaming Address - May 2022

April was pretty much a bust. Few posts, no epiphanies made or real insights given and no A-to-Z Challenge at all. I am lost in an RPG funk and I really shouldn't be. 

Sure I get frustrated now and again with the groups and games I'm playing in or running but overall the material has been good. Really good in fact. 

Inspired by the comments on my previous post, I thought it might be a good idea to assess where I am gaming wise by doing one of my 'State of Gaming' addresses. 

Here's what I am doing in the hobby...

Gamemastering:

Champions: UNITY

Run once a week by me, this campaign is based on 'The Age of Champions' campaign setting created by my good friend William Corpening and mentioned on this blog numerous times. I have run several games using this universe, each following a alternate history of what followed the end of my time as a player in the original campaign (and once following the actual end of the campaign past my own involvement). We have designated this incarnation Champions Earth-Alpha Delta-1A (see my breakdown on the known Earths of The Age of Champions).

There are three players in this campaign (originally four but one is currently taking a break from gaming for a while) and it's been really good. The characters are each quite different and their backgrounds and natures have been informing the types of plots and villains I've been generating. I also like that I get to explore new aspects of this setting that in some cases haven't been fully explored before.

Star Trek: Prosperity

Every Friday I'm not playing Hogwarts I am running a Star Trek Adventures campaign with the same four other people from the Wizarding World game as players. The campaign is set during the late 'Original Series' era (roughly 2268-2272 so far). We started the game using the Last Unicorn Games Star Trek RPG but we converted the campaign to Modiphius' Star Trek Adventures 2D20 System fairly early on. Presently we are on 'Season 6', having been playing this game for a little under 8 years. 

This has been a great campaign with some very challenging scenarios, interesting characters, real emotion, as well as some nifty exploration of Star Trek canon and lore.

Star Wars: Gray Territories

My latest campaign, run roughly twice a month, is a Star Wars D6/West End Games game with three friends whom I've known for almost 35 years. We played an epic Star Wars campaign back in my late college days called Tales from the Rim and now we're back at it like no time has passed. This is presently my pride and joy.

I've already started discussing and recapping it on the blog but for a quick overview - It's Awesome! The setting/universe is one we all love, the characters are quirky and fun, the narrative is simple so far but with a larger background mystery just beginning to unfold. Best of all (OMGrogu! THE BEST!) is that it moves quickly. Each session is about half as long as the sessions of my other games and yet some much happens! Love it. 

Honorable Mention: Traveller: Buried Treasures

For almost a year I was running a classic Traveller (with some MegaTraveller) campaign one a week but it's on hold for time being as one of the players has had a baby. Apparently infant Humans cannot fend for themselves and my friend Will and his wife will be occupied with this endeavor for sometime. Who knew?  

Playing:

Hogwarts: A Mystery

Run bi-weekly (every other Friday) by my friend Alex and using a rules-lite homebrew system originally inspired by Apocalypse World (but quite different), the campaign focuses on four Player Character students of House Ravenclaw. The game has been going fairly regularly for about five years now and the students are 'Fifth Years'.

This is the only game I am in as a player and I have to say, it's one of the best I've experienced overall in a very long time. I attribute this to Alex, who is not only an excellent GM but someone well-versed in the setting, lore, and capable of making it 'feel right'. I also really like my character, Francis 'Frank' Pellgrove, whom I would list among the greatest PCs I've ever run (and I did!).

This is where I am at TRPG-wise. All of these games are excellent. At the same time, they all have their flaws and imperfections (well...except for the Star Wars game. So far it's perfect.). 

I could go into the detailed workings of each campaign but I don't want right here and now. I may do articles addressing more general issues in the future though. 

Writing this post has done its job, giving me a clearer idea of what I want to talk about going forward. With renewed vigor and new ideas, I aim to get this 45th Anniversary Celebration back on track.

Thank you all for coming by and sticking with Barking Alien. I really do appreciate it.

Thank you.

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Barking Alien

Walking and Talking At The Same Time

My first post for this June is one that covers something I've been noticing a lot lately in the various groups I game with.

It feels as if the balance within a game between the Action elements and the Role Playing elements are really peculiar compared to my past experiences. Since I know my experiences in the hobby are a bit atypical, maybe someone out there can give me some insight into what it going on.

We'll see. 

A lot of modern games seem to split the moments in a game session into 'scenes'; basically separating the events into distinct sequences such as Action Scenes, Story Scenes, and sometimes a Rest or Recuperation Scene wherein you regain Hit Points or rejuvenate powers or something similar. 

These partitioned sections of a single game session were instituted into game design over the last decade or so mainly to delineate the difference between being in and out of combat or to help reinforce a given genre's way of depicting how said genre was staged (such as panels in a comic book or the climax of a movie).

Even my own game, 'The Googly Eyed Primetime Puppet Show' RPG, designates different kinds of moments within the game - Scenes, Sketches, and Skits - to help the Director/GM stage a genre appropriate session more easily. 

Older games didn't explicitly have these distinctions of sequence and didn't really separate your RPG moments from your non-RPG moments. 

Or did they?

Surely you rolled for Initiative and once that happened you were in Combat. Combat had rounds and turns and often a very specific way for determining what amount of time those terms constituted and what could be accomplished within them.

What I don't recall was time specifically allocated to Role Playing. There weren't designated or dedicated parts of the game where you were meant to have conversations or where you weren't allowed to interact with NPCs in a non-combat way. How many rounds does it take explain your point of view to a local nobleman? Does trying to get information from the barkeep last a full turn? 

This brings me back to the beginning and the odd issue I've observed of late - Players having their PCs RP or do something such as Investigate a Mystery or Fight. They can't seem to do any of these at the same time. 

It creates a very slow and occasionally stilted feel in game sessions, with players either asking the GM questions or rolling dice to use their skills, or having conversations in character with each other or NPCs. 

Why is this? What created this dynamic? Why am I just encountering this now? 

On that last question, is this a thing that has always been a factor in other peoples games? Is this the way most people play? 

My confusion stems from the fact that we (my older groups and I) always combined these activities. We definitely didn't have separate times or exclusive moments where we did one or the other. We bantered and even discussed personal [PC] relationships while we fought enemies. We had in depth conversations about what the villain's motives might be as we searched for clues.Two PCs would be talking about what was going on in the story at the same time as another scanned the opposing forces for a weakness and yet another tried to modify the ship to do something unusual. 

I was recently in a session of our Hogwarts/Wizarding World game in which all of the PCs were sitting around a table eating. We started to discuss the mystery at hand. One Player/PC in particular went on and on about the particulars of the mystery, clearly stating the situation and all it's relevant elements. It served to clarify things and bring us up to speed, but it didn't add anything in the way of an answer or conclusion because at that point we didn't have enough information to make one. 

That was all fine and good but why not do that in a scene where we are looking for more clues? Why not do it while going somewhere or taking some other action that moved things forward?

I told the GM that my PC was going to leave the table. In character I said, "See you guys later", and then I walked over to my PC's NPC girlfriend and asked if she could help me do something that my character knew he's not good at. We proceeded to walk down a few levels to a place where we could mix potions, all the while having my PC tell the NPC about a crazy idea he had to reveal some information he needed about an injured friend. He had picked up something related to the injury (leaves with the injured parties blood on it) and needed to know if there was a potion that could see the past of an object dropped into it. I said I'd heard more experienced wizards mention such a thing.

The GM looked through his notes and asked, "Is this a potion we've discussed before?"

"Nope", I said, "I just imagine such a thing might exist. I have a cool idea if it does [or if it can]." Luckily the GM is a good one and says sure, why not. My NPC companion is good at potions and tends to read ahead of what most people (the PCs included) tend to know (two of the reasons I asked her specifically to accompany me). She tells me this is an extremely difficult potion and we need to work as a team to make it happen. Again, that was my hope so I am good with this. 

Around this time the others players decide to stop their discussion of what is going on and two of them go to do research on one of the potential bad guys involved. The last PC (there are four of us in the game) goes off to have a one-on-one Role Play encounter with the PC's boyfriend. Cool. 

Follow me now...

My PC gets into a slightly heated personal discussion with his NPC girlfriend about something she did that she thinks I should be angry at her for. My PC, well, he isn't angry because he is a very even keeled fellow and knows she did it with the best of intentions.

All the while we are cutting ingredients, brewing the potion, and rolling dice to see how it turns out. Yes, we are Role Playing a scene between two romantically involved characters AND AT THE SAME TIME we are making a potion that will help reveal information about the game's plot. At the same time! Hide your old folks! Cover your eyes! Think of the children! The Children!

I will also remind you that this potion, this action we're taking, didn't exist until I invented it, suggested it, and now we have a new means of revealing what is going on. (See all my posts on being a Pro-Active Player).

In the end my scheme worked, though the potion was imperfect and its use injured both characters who used it. A Professor came in and saw what we'd done and we both received detention. Hurray! The story moved forward. Something happened! A new element was added to the world (world building!), and there is a new status/condition to take with us into the new session. 

Meanwhile the other PC who spoke to their boyfriend did manage to move that relationship forward and the two guys who went to do research found a name in a book and learned a bit about who the person was and maybe why they were at our school.

Yay? I mean, yes it was good to get that information and it will help in the long run but the specifics of their scene have largely faded from my memory already and it just happened three days ago. It was useful, helpful, but not interesting or exciting. 

It was talking. Following by looking in books. Followed by a little talking. 

It wasn't talking while also hurriedly discussing cutting the right ingredients in a rapid manner, then juggling an emotional moment with mixing a boiling pot at the right speed; followed close by putting our faces into a really hot and stinging smoke and viewing someone being chased down by enemies who are amazingly revealed as three more things happen. Hah..hah...hah...whoo. Give me a sec. Hah...Got to catch my breath. Dang. 

While I really wanted to focus on the idea of Role Playing while doing other things, and doing other things while Role Playing, it seems I've also touched upon a number of other pet peeves here, like trying to move things forward, taking decisive and creative action, and being a bit more pro-active. That last one is hard I know but it is so worth it. 

What do you guys think? Should scenes be separated into the fighting scenes, the plot scenes, and the trivial banter scenes? Why do players like to discuss things but not actually do them? Can we not walk and talk at the same time?

Inquiring minds want to know.

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Barking Alien

PS: I was ready for the GM to tell me, "There is no such potion" or "There's no potion like that but there is a spell and it's years ahead of you." I was prepared with a second crazy idea using the same blood caked leaves and a trick the injured person had taught me a year or so before. 

I never have only one idea or only one plan. Neither should you!

Cowboys and Aliens

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the first Barking Alien post of 2018! 

I apologize for taking so long to get started this year. I've been incredibly busy of late. All good I assure you.

I am now technically in my 41st year in the Role Playing Game hobby.

Wow. Can you imagine?

So what am I going to be working on this year? What's my current 'State of Gaming'? What is my next big game project (or projects)?

I know you're all waiting, gripping the edges of your respective seats in anticipation. Well, some of you are. That guy is. You know who I'm talking about. Yeah you. This one's for that guy.

Where are we now?

At the moment, I am playing in two games, and running one. The other game I was running has ended, at least temporarily. 

On Wednesday nights, I am involved in a Kapow! Superhero campaign that has been going strong for about three years now. I've been getting a little frustrated with it lately due to no fault of the GM, or the other players. The group is the thing I enjoy most about the game. It's me. I'm a little bored with the Superhero genre right now. Even I find that a strange statement coming from me, so I can only imagine what you're thinking dear reader. I attribute it to too many Supers games in 2017. 

The second game I'm playing in, which has been hiatus for some time now, is an in-person Hogwarts/Wizard World of Harry Potter game run using a homebrewed variant of Apocalypse World. The game is has traditionally been run on alternating Friday nights, except when the GM is unavailable (such as this past holiday season, and into the new year), or when more than two of the players can't show (as there are only four players in the group).

I like this game a lot, although the tone of the last several sessions shifted too dramatically for my personal tastes. Our PCs are in their third year, but the situations and antagonists felt like they were more appropriate to Book 5 (The Order of the Phoenix). This wouldn't be a big deal except Book 3 (The Prisoner of Azkaban) was my favorite book, and Book 5 my least favorite. We all had fun, but I felt a little shorted, or cheated thematically. Still, I am very much looking forward to this games return in the coming weeks.

On the alternating Fridays I mentioned above, I am running Star Trek: Prosperity, a Star Trek Adventures campaign set in the late, Original Series era. Our campaign begins a before the U.S.S. Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk has completed its 5 year mission, and is now approximately a year, and half in to its own 3 year mission. Our campaign has a number of influences from The Animated Series, as well as various Star Trek comic books.

I was running a Superhero game with a homebrew system that was based on the Japanese Anime/Manga series, My Hero Academia entitled My Hero Academia: American Ultra. I completed the campaign's 'first season', which went well, but I began to feel that aforementioned weariness with Supers that I mentioned. I felt it necessary to end the game while I was just jazzed about it. It could certainly be optioned for a second season at some later date. . 

Kapow! continues, as does Hogwarts, and Star Trek: Prosperity, but a new year means new games, and I have several concepts I want to explore. The question therefore is...

Where are we going?

The two ideas that are foremost in my mind right now are:

The Orville

A traditional Science Fiction/Space Exploration campaign set in the universe of the Seth Macfarlane's TV series of the same name.

In addition to really liking the show, I love that idea that the players will have the kind of familiarity they would have with a Star Trek game, but without having to worry about all the continuity, and elements they don't know. There have only been 12 episodes. We've all seen the same 12. Not hard to keep things straight. 

I also like that although the show is not really the comedy that everyone expected, there are more relaxed and light hearted moments than you might be on other Sci-Fi shows. This milieu is one of serious Science Fiction, but it doesn't take itself too seriously. 

As noted in some earlier posts on the subject, I am adapting Star Trek Adventures for this. Expect to see a lot of The Orville Adventures in posts throughout the year, but especially within the next couple of weeks.

Travellin' West

A working title, with another possibility being Western, or Westward, Traveller. Essentially, a Wild West RPG campaign using a variant of classic Traveller. 

Now, when I say a variant, I am talking about the kitbashed, house-ruled version of classic Traveller I've been running for many years now. Basically it's classic with some updated rules from MegaTraveller, and an optional 'Death During Character Creation' system that can result in some very neat background material, plot hooks, and even special abilities, and items on occasion. 

I've been toying with the idea of returning to the rather unusual approach to running a Western I took when I was very young, and still a relative newbie with RPGs. You can find references to both the original game, and my desire to revisit it here, and here. 

While considering and turning down a number of options for a new campaign for this year, the Western idea kind of crept up on me out of nowhere, but stuck in my head even as others came, and went. While trying to find a system, it occurred to me how relatively simple, and effective it would be to adapt Traveller. It has an ideal balance between simplicity, and mechanical crunch, features a combat system where a pistol can kill an unarmored man, and PCs don't get more hit points as they improve in other way. A bandit's bullet can take you down in session fifty, as easily as it can in session 1.

There are other elements I think also translate over well, including the Character Creation, with Career rolls, and the building of the PCs history as they're being generated. 

I am pretty excited about this endeavor. I will keep you all posted regarding my progress. I hope to get it down, and working, and not drop the project as I did Star Wars Traveller.*

Alrighty now...we've got the ball rolling!

Let's see where it bounces...

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Barking Alien

*Star Wars Traveller is on the back burner, and has been for some time. With my feeling less than impressed with the latest film, and far too many other ideas going through my head, Star Wars Traveller is not my concern at this time. I may get back to it at some later date, but right now that later date seems to be much, much later. 

What's Happening?

Whew! I've been gaming a lot.

A lot!

Well, a lot for me in comparison to last year at least. 

Most of it has been very fun too, and really, what more can you ask for?

At this point I figured I should update you all on what I'm doing, if for no other reason than to share the joy, and get some new content up on this blog for cripes sake! It's September 18th, and this is only my third post! Sheesh! 

Have no fear citizens, a meatier post is forthcoming. 

Most of the games I'm in, or running are bi-weekly, or monthly. Only the online Google Hangouts Kapow! Group (the one I am running DC Adventures for right now) meets every week.

Wait. That isn't exactly true. I meet with Dan's Group every Friday night (roughly), but we alternate games. 

Following our DC Adventures game, the Google Hangouts Kapow! Group will be doing a DC/Marvel Crossover, and then its back to our Kapow! campaign. 

Crisis on Earth G+

We've had three sessions so far, and everyone seems to be having a great time. I can tell you that I am. This mini-campaign is just my personal love letter to the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths, Silver/Bronze Age continuity of DC Comics. Getting the chance to do this is awesome, but knowing that my players appreciate the work I've put in is really icing on the cake. 

This week will feature the fourth part of our story, and a trip to World War II, and Golden Age DC! In addition to DC's WW II 'War Comics' heroes, such as Sgt. Rock, and Easy Company, G.I. Robot, and Jeb Stuart and The Haunted Tank, we'll get a guest appearance by the Earth-2 Justice Society of America! Woohoo! I can't wait.

Star Trek Adventures: Excalibur

Our new Google Hangouts group completed the adventure 'The Rescue at Xerxes IV' last week, and I must admit, it was really good. A fairly straight forward scenario, it was nonetheless an excellent introduction to the new Star Trek Adventures RPG. 

We are going forward with a mini-campaign, which may last no more than one additional adventure scenario, or it may continue onward. Lots of enthusiasm, but no pressure to commit to a tightly scheduled, long term game. 

We run this every two weeks, or so at a terribly late hour on Saturdays. 

The idea of using the Star Trek Adventures game to run a campaign based on 'The Orville' (which I touched on in my previous post) is one that keeps popping into my head. I am currently trying to rework the character sheets, and obtain as much information about the setting as possible, which isn't easy considering the series has only had two episodes at this point. 

My Hero Academia: American Ultra!

The Students of UA High School's Class 1-A

My Hero Academia

We've had three sessions of American Ultra, my homebrewed spin-off campaign based on the popular Japanese Anime/Manga series, My Hero Academia. 

So far it's been really great, with moments of WOW. It's some of the best GMing I've done in a long time, and I have the perfect group of players for it. Everyone, and everything just connects in a way that makes the game a pleasure to run, and the players have told me they love it.

The first two sessions had a nice mix of action, intrigue, humor, and world building. The third was much more focused on character development/role playing, investigation, and was a tad less funny, and action packed, but the players/PCs uncovered a bombshell reveal that had the team 'Holy Crap!'-ing all the way to the end. 

I'm pretty proud of that.

Next session is coming soon.

New Group - New Campaign - Villains & Vigilantes?

We played a super fun game of that Superhero RPG classic, Villains & Vigilantes last week, and are considering turning it into a campaign.

When I say we, I really mean myself, and two of my buddies. The third participant from our first foray won't be able to make it on a regular basis. Actually, it will be a rare occurrence if he can make it, which is too bad. He was a great guy to game with, and really rounded out the team.

While we had a great time, and I was flooded with nostalgia over the use of the very first Supers game I'd ever run, the loss of the third player and the fact that I am already running two Superhero campaigns has me wondering if this is a missed opportunity to run something else, like a Sci-Fi/Space Adventure game. 

More about this in my next post.

This group will also probably meet every two weeks, but I'm kind of running out of free days, and nights, so we'll play it by ear. 

Dan's Group - Alternating Games

Dan's Group meets at my friend Dan's house, and therefore we creatively refer to our entourage as 'Dan's Group'. Currently, Dan isn't GMing our Friday night games. That task is usually handled by my friend Alex, who is running a home-modified Powered by the Apocalypse 'Harry Potter/Hogwarts' game, or myself running...whatever. 

Whatever is a catch-all for the various games I start up with the group, run for a couple to several sessions, and then try to figure out what else might work better. Over the past year, or so this has included Ars Magica 3rd Ed., Champions 4th Ed., Marvel Heroic, Star Trek (LUG Version), and a number of others.

The problem is that games with the group never feel quite right to me. While we all get along and share similar interests, our playing and GMing styles are quite different, and even clash on occasion. The group is doing great with Alex's game, but every game I try feels either underwhelming, or annoying. 

I've yet to figure out what game works best with this assembly of gamers. 

I will keep trying of course. 

That's all for now. I have another post coming up very soon on some game ideas that have come to me of late. With any luck I can get this next entry out tonight.

Until then,

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Barking Alien

Regrouping

Now that I don't have to concern myself with the A-to-Z Blog Challenge I can get on to more pressing matters.

What I am running, and with whom...

This is a bit like my past 'State of Gaming' addresses, but with the purpose of helping me to organize my thoughts as opposed to entertaining you my audience (My apologizes. Honestly, I haven't forgotten about you. I'll try to be entertaining anyway).

We begin with...

Dan's Group, and The Masked Age 66':

Following a pretty successful first arc of three, consecutive, Friday night sessions, we are going to alternate the campaign to every other Friday night going forward. On the nights I don't run, my friend Alex is running a Harry Potter/Wizarding World/Hogwarts game in which I am a player.

I am really liking the Hogwarts game a lot so I have no problem switching off. Basically it amounts to playing a Harry Potter game twice a month, and running Silver Age Superheroes with a Twist twice a month. I am absolutely good with that.

Oh course, the Superhero game is not without it's bumps. It's a tough group to please in some respects. I'm hopeful however.

The Google Hangouts Group, Kapow!, and Galaxy Quest!:

Whoohoo! I am super excited about this.

For about two years now my friend Keith has been running a really cool Superhero RPG called Kapow! in his own homebrew world. I have played a number of characters in the setting, but for the longest time now I've been using a Superhero named Equinox.

Equinox is actually a very old character I helped my friend Sergio create waaay back before we even knew about RPGs. When I discovered Villains & Vigilantes in 1982 we made up Equinox for a game, and he was so cool I decided to remake him for Kapow!

I've stepped in a few times as GM to cover Keith when he had a family thing, or had to otherwise miss a session (which in two years has been maybe three times. It is exceptionally rare). When I run, the players play a different group of heroes on my alternate setting of Earth-F-Omega, a variant on the Mutants and Masterminds Freedom City* Universe by Green Ronin.

I filled in with an Earth-F-Omega session three weeks ago, and ended up continuing the story even as Keith came in to join us. Tomorrow will be my last session of the arc. Keith then goes away on vacation for two weeks ( ! ), so I offered to run something else. Something different. That's when things got really interesting...

Keith proposed that going forward one of us (he, or I) would run a game for several sessions, or perhaps a month or so, and then the other would take over and do the same. He will be continuing Kapow!, while I plan on a Science Fiction/Space Opera type series. As a test run, I will be GMing a short Galaxy Quest adventure over the two weeks Keith is gone.

More details as I have them. Very excited to get the best of both worlds out of my Wednesday night online game.

Last, but not least...

The Barking Alien Gaming Group, and What Comes Next:

It's been well over a month since I've met with the players in my Barking Alien Gaming Group.

For a short while there it looked like that particular gaming group incarnation had run its course. Luckily, that is not the case. I had a nice sit down discussion with two of the players, and I'm going to try to redouble my efforts to make a game that works for this bunch. In exchange, one of the players will try to overcome a few of his...um...less endearing habits...which often threaten to derail our games. The other player I spoke to will try to keep the first one on track, and act as an intermediary if the player, and I bump heads.

As I look at what I am running, and playing with the other groups I'm a part of, I have to say I'm pretty happy I'm getting the opportunity to run two of my favorite genres already. I'm running Superheroes with one, and I'll soon be running Space Opera/Adventure with the other. I don't need to run those with my monthly group. I am free to tackle something else.

But what?

Then it hit me, and if it didn't make so much sense I probably would've hit it back.

Aerth. My Dungeons & Dragons-But-Not setting of almost 35 years. Superheroic, Anime Influenced, Folklore Fueled [Vaguely] Medieval Fantasy.

System wise I won't be using any form of D&D however. I want to enjoy this. I'm going to be adapting Ars Magica for this campaign.

Yes. I'm going there.

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Barking Alien

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

While I am not so moved by the type of medieval fantasy role-playing so popular with the vast majority of people in the RPG hobby, I am very much enamoured with faerie folklore, fairy tales, local legends, and the like.

I would much rather play or run an RPG that emulates welsh folktales or the works of Lewis Carroll, J. K. Rowling, and T.H. White then those of Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, or R. A. Salvatore.

Of all the authors of the fantastic that I enjoy and of all the worlds they have envisioned, none quite compare to L. Frank Baum and Oz. I designed and ran an Oz campaign once, many, many years ago and though short lived it definitely rocked. I have since been working on a new Oz game and 20 some odd years later I am still doing so.

Luckily for me (and for any of you with a similar interest), a very dedicated and talent fellow by the name of F. Douglas Wall is currently working on and soon to finish just such a game. Entitled, Adventures in Oz, the game is not far from being released with a pretty nifty cover and some really cool ideas. If you've been itching to game somewhere over the rainbow or just want to add something different to a fantasy game you're already playing, I highly recommend checking out his blog and related sites.

Go and hear the Wizard discuss his project at the Royal Blog of Oz.

It's a Twister!

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Barking Alien

In the Windmills of My Mind

Here's a little bit of what's been going on in my life and on my mind since last I was posting regularly.

I have had the pleasure of seeing my nephew more often then I expected and enjoyed every minute of it. He's awesome. Now if he would just hurry up and reach the age where he can understand an RPG rulebook...

I am taking apprenticeship classes to become a professional dog trainer. If I could do anything with my professional life outside of gaming it is this. I just love dogs.

My mention of Ace of Cakes last post reminded me that one of the things I've wanted to do for a very long time was, for my 40th birthday, get Charm City Cakes to do an 'in scale' Green Lantern 'Lantern' cake. Unfortunately, they were not taking orders during or even sometime before and after my birthday. And, you have to place the order 6 months to a year in advance (or at least you did at the time I checked). Damn. Well, there's always 50...

I am currently running two games, one regularly, the other slightly irregularly.

The first is a monthly, year long campaign of Mutants & Masterminds, destined to end this December. Like any true superhero rpg was have a cast of colorfully costumed do-gooders, numerous evil villains and a world conquering high tech organization, time travel, alternate histories, mystical menaces from the past and at the end an alien invasion.

The second and more "whenever we can pull it off" of the two, is a Ghostbusters game run using a homebrewed combo of the original Ghostbuster RPG by West End Games and Memento Mori's very sweet game, InSpectres.

Next year I want to run something else to replace my M&M game and for the life of me I can't decide what. Leading the charge of my idea cavalcade are The Wizarding World (a homebrew Harry Potter universe rpg), the new and ridiculously awesome sounding Eclipse Phase from Catalyst Game Labs, a Western with a just a touch a' steampunk and supernatural stuff to reckon with (system unknown) and maybe, just maybe, Ars Magica.

While I'd really love to get back to my favored gaming genre of Science Fiction/Space Adventure, only Eclipse Phase has really wowed me in the recent wave of SF games to come out. If anyone has any recommendations I'd be happen to listen.

Ok, that's all for now, hopefully you'll see a more regular contribution from me once again.

Later Days,

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Barking Alien