News - State of the Hat

It's Old news, cuz I missed it at the end of the year.

Highlights I'm looking forward to:

Dresden Files
The Paranet Papers: This has been one of the “big dog” projects since the Dresden Files RPG launched.The Paranet Papers is part system update and setting catch-up (getting us mostly current into the beginning bits of Ghost Story), part campaign starter kit. That latter part is being addressed by us cracking up the city creation mold a bit and looking at six different “cities” that do it a little differently, all viewed in light of the fallout from Changes. Those locations: Las Vegas; the “Neverglades”; the open road (taking the Dresden Files in more of a Supernatural direction); the Russian Revolution; South America; and some of the “outlands” of the Nevernever.
DF Adventures: Fairly recently we got ink on a contract addendum that lets us do a handful of “for-pay” adventure arcs for the Dresden Files RPG. Previously we were only in the clear to do free web support typestuff, which is where our collection of one-shots for the Dresden Files (as well as a Fiasco scenario) came from. Now, we’re going to get to do some more ambitious stuff. We’ve got three such projects slated, and the option to do more. You’ll probably see these parcel out over the course of the next two years; at least one of them will include some new details about the Dresdenverse gathered straight from the Word of Jim.
Fate
Fate Core: This would be that new core Fate book that we’ve been promising folks since Spirit of the Century. We haven’t been burbling about this as much as we could over on FateRPG.com, but that doesn’t mean the project’s on hold. Lenny is in straight up nose to the grindstone mode with this one; we’re hoping to have the full text to an editorial squad by February.

Check out more on Fred Hicks blog: http://www.deadlyfredly.com/2011/12/state-of-the-hat-2012/

Having a Core FATE system is a nice idea, I do love FATE and having a generic system will be quite awesome, I hope it incorporates much of the Dresden Files RPG into the rules, while also expanding it.

Having some pre-made Dresden Files adventures to get people interested will be nice too, especially having ones beyond the one-sheets.

Review - Hacking 2.0 (Interface Zero - Savage Worlds)

So I saw that GunMetalGames released the new Hacking 2.0 rules, had to get them to check it out, I must say I'm impressed...

Hacking 2.0 (Interface Zero) by GunMetalGames

Quick Look: This is a streamlining of the Interface Zero Rules regarding Hacking. Interface Zero already created a different style of Hacking that Shadowrun or Cyberpunk. As the Hacker doesn't jump into the system, instead he manipulates objects in realtime, the TAP providing him insight as to what's happening visually in hyper reality (Basically a skin over the real world). Only the new hacking rules make it more sleek, bringing it back in line with the Fast, Fun, and Furious design philosophy of Savage Worlds. It's a 14 page PDF. Mostly Crunch, with fluffy examples. I especially love the art on page 6 and the layout artwork.

Main Review: I'll break the review out into quick sections, There's a nice cover illustration, followed by the ToC, then on Page 1 David Jarvis introduces the book and how it came about through feedback with players. Page 2 and 3 cover the changes to the skills, edges and hindrances, including removal of some to complement the streamlining. Pages 4 through 7 describe the Hyper Glove in detail, including the basic modes, control, edit and destruction. The hyper glove itself can be quite the expensive piece of hardware once it's all tricked out, but you're gonna need it if you're hacking a Military Access Network! Page 8 is pretty neat, as it lays out all the Mods for the Hyper Glove, from the Lethal Mod (making your VR attacks lethal damage), to the VR Overlay Mod, letting you re-skin the world with a theme of your own choosing, So if your character wants to see the world in a medieval theme, guards might have repeating crossbows? Page 9 and 10 covers the actual hacking rules, yup, just page 9 and half of 10, simple = fast, fun & furious. The other half of Page 10 to the end covers the different networks and the consequences of failing a hacking roll against them. From the simple Public Access Network, where you might just get nailed for 1d12+2 non-lethal damage at the worst, to a Military Access networks where you might get your synapses fried to a crisp by 3d10 LETHAL damage, all the while locking down the building and powering down, you're in deep in the deep at the mo' ami!

Cost: $1.99 for PDF


Value: It's a bit pricey for a core update, but it's definitely a must have! If it wasn't such a great update, I would say wait for the full book, but if you're playing...get it NOW!!!

Rating: Epic, the new rules really are much simpler and willl lead to faster games, and best of all, the other players aren't sitting around waiting for you to be DONE hacking the system...

out of 20

More GM Day goodness - Adamant 50% off!!!

Adamant GM Day Sale at Drivethru RPG

Check it out, get something for yourself and support the blog at the same time!

Anime Conji Coming up

Looks like we're going to be covering Anime Conji!! The boys and I are extremely excited!

If you love anime as much as we do, you should be going too...

Check out the Programming Schedule

The Table Top Gaming Room isn't up yet, but as soon as we know the schedule so will you!!!

Sales - March 4th is GM's Day!!! DriveThruRPG Sale is on!!!

Check out the Drunken Goblin's sales!!! Get your GM something nice so you may got forth on May 4th!

This is a huge sale! 25% off...check it out, buy whatever it was you've stuck on you wish list, NOW IF THE TIME!!!

Rite publishing is selling at 30% off!

Fun Fridays - Epic Wordsearch (Weapons)

Here it is, my first word search! You see 37 weapons listed along the side, there are five additional weapons within the puzzle that are NOT on that list...one of the words is over 15 letters long!!

Have Fun...IT'S FRIDAY!!! (answers will be posted on Wednesday)

GameMaestro - Magic Items

Starting a new type of post, My GameMaestro posts. Mastering isn't enough, you have to be a Maestro.

Definition of MAESTRO

: a master usually in an art; especially : an eminent composer, conductor, or teacher of music 

GameMastering is an Art...Being a GameMaestro is hard work. Composing and Conducting  a symphony of players and non-players, to entertain those same-said players. When you succeed, and present an intelligent game full of description that flows, it's a work of art, but it's not JUST the GameMaestro that is required to succeed, you need players that can play the composition you write, you can lay the framework, but they need to play well to make a truly great game. It doesn't always work, but when it does...it's amazing & memorable.

Anyway, So I'm reading the Paizo blogs, I come across this post:

 By now everyone at my table has purchased a core book and their little eyes get to wondering. They browse magic items for their characters then in-game they try to find them by rolling the 75% chance if its under the city's base value.

Last session I said this stops because your characters wouldn't know these items exsist. They I'm in the wrong what do you say?

I also informed them they could just ask around town for an item that may help them be better protected or one that will make their aim more true then rolling the 75% and if they get it I will tell them in game whats available for purchase. 

This is my response:

1: It's your game, thus you're not 'in the wrong'. If they want to GM, let them. There are ALWAYS more players than Gamemasters.

2: By removing easy access to magic items, you can actually make the game more fun, because it brings it back into your hands...making items available because you deem them necessary for the future. Rumors of a flaming sword that was lost 100 years ago suddenly becomes a quest. Bards become a repertoire of possible quests. In addition, once you remove the magic item economy, players might actually WANT to build a castle again, because that million gold pieces they have laying around isn't doing much else. (Note: once you do this, you need to watch your challenge ratings, as the game was designed with X GP requirements in mind. Also reward them with the items you know they might want anyway.)

3: Knowledge (arcana) becomes a much more useful skill, suddenly Knowledge (History) might become a skill people take if they're not a bard. Identifying items mid-adventure suddenly becomes more interesting as well.

4: Obviously, encountering an opponent with a flaming sword is not only a challenge, but a chance to get said flaming sword, more exciting, especially since getting that sword isn't something you just go to the magic shop for.

5: Creating Magic items should also require a Knowledge (arcana) check...The DMG says that the creation of a magic item requires items worth X number of gold pieces, nothing in there says those items have to be common. So the wizard researched how to create an Acid Burst sword, now to get that green dragon blood. When the players decide they need something, it propels the game forward on it's own.

6: Yes, I'm a proponent of old school gaming style. Some of it definitely should have been removed (level 5 halfling fighter max? no thanks), other stuff shouldn't have been removed.

Yes, I'm very opinionated, I have been GMing for over 28 years, GMing isn't easy, having a combined Player/GM book doesn't make it easier. It's not like the old days when the DMG was off-limits to players, there's not as much mystery to the game. The magic creation rules made it much easier to PLAN your character around X items. Knowing your monk is going to get an Amulet of Mighty Fists anyway, so you don't need Elemental Fist. 


It's one of the reason I like Earthdawn so much, while there are common thread items here and there, they're not the legendary items. If you want to find said legendary items, investigate the legends, find out where they were lost...

It's the one bright point I see in the D&D Next design philosophy.