Kickstarter.com
I discovered Kickstarter from a thread on RPGnet. The entire site is dedicated to funding projects of all kinds, seemingly any kind, via patronage.
A patronage model means people, fans, strangers, or whoever pitch in money to fund a project or pay an artist for a creative endeavor. Patronage Funding has seen success in several different markets and it's been making quite a splash lately in the RPG industry. Older titles such as Wild Talents and Reign as well as the new Pathfinder Modern project are prime examples of Patronage and Ransom model funding in the gaming industry.
What I find fascinating about Kickstarter is that they've linked up with a trusted site to allow 'backers' to pledge money via the Amazon payment account that everyone and my mother already has. Additionally, if the goal for pledge money isn't reached, none of the backers are actually charged for their pledges.
Let me give you an example: I fork over $50 to help kickstart the Pathfinder Modern project. Not only does that give me access to their design blog and project forums, I'm also promised a hardcover copy of the finished book. So for $50, I'm preordering the book and helping to fund the project. Should the project not raise enough money, the book is never produced and I am never charged!
What a fascinating way to fund a project. What an interesting way to buy into, not only the finished product, but the design process as well.
What does this mean for you? What does it mean for me? Who knows?
But I'll be damned if I can't think up a project worth kickstarting for a $100 or so. You know, just to test it out. :-)
Right, so anyway.
Posted by Lair of The Tark - Game Designing and Writing Blog in Freshman Mixer, The Zoo on March 7th, 2010
Must, find, the will to work. Blargh. So I have this months column, and another website article to finish for kobold quarterly I also need to get back in touch with Kobold Quarterly and the Escapist to find some progress. Don't know how many weeks it's been but I would like to get some idea of what's going on.
What HL2: Opposing Force Should be like
Posted by Lair of The Tark - Game Designing and Writing Blog in Freshman Mixer, The Zoo on February 18th, 2010
After two false starts (stupid forefox stop crashgin goddamit!). Anyway, with valve saying they're going to return to the character of Adrian Shepher it got me to thinking what an Opposing Force 2 would look like.
He should be a Combine Elite.
Part 1: Drafted.
The game begins with you in a metal coffin thing on a train being awakened by the G-Man. He tells you that you are being drafted to finish the mission you first began or soething cryptic along those lines. He never says anything explicit like kill freeman or any of that. From there you your train arrives in Nova Propekt where you go through a rather painful looking sequence wher the corporals humanity is stripped away with in and out of conciousness images of stalkers and various robotic implements doing some rather horrible things to him. This is where he'll get his HEV suit type ability to see his health and armor and subsequently select his weapons. From there he's taken through a short training section that gives him his first two weapons, a Pipe Wrench and a Combine Assault rifle before being thrown into the fray during the portion where Freeman is infiltrating the prison. There are fights with antlions of all three varieties, zombies and plenty of squad usage as you now have combine soldiers working for you. (oh and now you can walk through combine barriers. :) ) The AI for these soldiers needs to be better then typical HL2 where the damn rebels dont bother with little thigns like grenades and cover. Along the way you should also get a submachine gun and the pistol.
This portion ends with a quick puzzle to get an engie combine to detonate the door leading to the teleporter just as freeman and alyx make their escape. The malfunction snatches you up in the teleporter as well and thus comes the second part.
Part 2: Counter Insurgency
This second part has you being teleported at sometime roughly after Gordon, Alyx and Dr. Kleiner exit the lab along with a good portion of the room you were in busting walls smashing equipment and opening up areas into City17 that were previously unexplored.
This is the aprt I've been wanting since the main game. Shoot me some rebels. You're not given an exact reason why you should be shooting at them but the fact that they're shooting at you while screaming "COMBINE!" is reason enough to shoot back. HEre the squad shoot outs become more prevalent and more weapon s get dropped into your hands including a Shotgun and, the ability to deploy Manhacks(!!!) that target your enemies but leave you and your squadmates alone.
At some point we should get into a very neat squad portion that gives you the command of a pair of Hunters. Their are a number of puzzles involving using the hunters flechettes to break some doors and things down for you that your pipe wrench doesn't seem to affect. IT also helps that said hunters are rather tough in combat however if both die you lose the game so it becomes a balance of sending them into situations where their toughness will triump but not into situations where they'll get killed.
The level ends as you get a great vista shot of the top of the Citadel getting blown up. Thus putting you into the events of Episode 1.
Part 3: Evac route
At this point you get back together with your combine mates and renew the chase for freeman. This portion is what I want to call, keep the tank alive as you'll basically be following a strider around with your squad while it shoots people and they shoot at it, you, and the squad with you. It's important to take out the rocket carriers as they'll eliminate the strider removing a good portion of the firepower you're running around with while making it impossible to progress (striders blow up obstacles).
After this sequence you find what happened to Dr. Breen. Rather you find his bloodied and broken corpse being chewed on by zombies. :D There's notmuch more to say about this other than you get glimpses of Alyx and Gordon running through the city or the aftermaths of their work.
Eventually you reach a point whre you pile into an APC (or Dropship) and go after freemans train. The citadel kerplodes and you black out as the vehicle is blown to bits.
This marks the half way point in the game and a turnin point for this character.
Part 4: Loose Ends
You wake up on an old airforce base strikingly similar to the one found in Adrians training tutorial. As a nod to the old expansion you see a man in a lab coat attempting to revive a fallen combine soldier. He expresses relif that you were alive and explains that he cut off your behavioral suppression systems (like you really ahd a choice in shooting rebels) so you are no loner under the combines sway. He explains that there were those who wanted to kill you and understandably but he values life. NAturally your weapons have been stripped from you. He explains that they're here to retrieve a nuclear warhead located deep underground to keep them
Outside the room you find a group of rebels trying to cross a barrier but failing miserably (sparks fly jokes are made). This is a training part where your employed to go after the plug that's out of reach to drop the barrier for the rebels. (Do it or we'll make your short remaining life so miserable...) They go through and that's that short bit.
This is a short part where you don't ahve any weapons (save a combat knife if you do a bit of exploring which the rebels comment on but do nothing about) essentially you're dodging zombies until you can drop a barrier and let the rebels come in and clean house.
This portion ends with a battle against a number of Pit Drones (DUN DUN DUUNNNNN Race X!) that actually teleport in and start killing off rebels.
This leads to a part where only one, maybe two people can progress. The surviving rebels argue for a bit agreeing that Shephard definitely needs ot go through since he can deactivate the barriers. The vortigaunt with them agrees to come with you simply because the others aren't willing to risk their necks to help combine scum.
Continuing in next post.
He should be a Combine Elite.
Part 1: Drafted.
The game begins with you in a metal coffin thing on a train being awakened by the G-Man. He tells you that you are being drafted to finish the mission you first began or soething cryptic along those lines. He never says anything explicit like kill freeman or any of that. From there you your train arrives in Nova Propekt where you go through a rather painful looking sequence wher the corporals humanity is stripped away with in and out of conciousness images of stalkers and various robotic implements doing some rather horrible things to him. This is where he'll get his HEV suit type ability to see his health and armor and subsequently select his weapons. From there he's taken through a short training section that gives him his first two weapons, a Pipe Wrench and a Combine Assault rifle before being thrown into the fray during the portion where Freeman is infiltrating the prison. There are fights with antlions of all three varieties, zombies and plenty of squad usage as you now have combine soldiers working for you. (oh and now you can walk through combine barriers. :) ) The AI for these soldiers needs to be better then typical HL2 where the damn rebels dont bother with little thigns like grenades and cover. Along the way you should also get a submachine gun and the pistol.
This portion ends with a quick puzzle to get an engie combine to detonate the door leading to the teleporter just as freeman and alyx make their escape. The malfunction snatches you up in the teleporter as well and thus comes the second part.
Part 2: Counter Insurgency
This second part has you being teleported at sometime roughly after Gordon, Alyx and Dr. Kleiner exit the lab along with a good portion of the room you were in busting walls smashing equipment and opening up areas into City17 that were previously unexplored.
This is the aprt I've been wanting since the main game. Shoot me some rebels. You're not given an exact reason why you should be shooting at them but the fact that they're shooting at you while screaming "COMBINE!" is reason enough to shoot back. HEre the squad shoot outs become more prevalent and more weapon s get dropped into your hands including a Shotgun and, the ability to deploy Manhacks(!!!) that target your enemies but leave you and your squadmates alone.
At some point we should get into a very neat squad portion that gives you the command of a pair of Hunters. Their are a number of puzzles involving using the hunters flechettes to break some doors and things down for you that your pipe wrench doesn't seem to affect. IT also helps that said hunters are rather tough in combat however if both die you lose the game so it becomes a balance of sending them into situations where their toughness will triump but not into situations where they'll get killed.
The level ends as you get a great vista shot of the top of the Citadel getting blown up. Thus putting you into the events of Episode 1.
Part 3: Evac route
At this point you get back together with your combine mates and renew the chase for freeman. This portion is what I want to call, keep the tank alive as you'll basically be following a strider around with your squad while it shoots people and they shoot at it, you, and the squad with you. It's important to take out the rocket carriers as they'll eliminate the strider removing a good portion of the firepower you're running around with while making it impossible to progress (striders blow up obstacles).
After this sequence you find what happened to Dr. Breen. Rather you find his bloodied and broken corpse being chewed on by zombies. :D There's notmuch more to say about this other than you get glimpses of Alyx and Gordon running through the city or the aftermaths of their work.
Eventually you reach a point whre you pile into an APC (or Dropship) and go after freemans train. The citadel kerplodes and you black out as the vehicle is blown to bits.
This marks the half way point in the game and a turnin point for this character.
Part 4: Loose Ends
You wake up on an old airforce base strikingly similar to the one found in Adrians training tutorial. As a nod to the old expansion you see a man in a lab coat attempting to revive a fallen combine soldier. He expresses relif that you were alive and explains that he cut off your behavioral suppression systems (like you really ahd a choice in shooting rebels) so you are no loner under the combines sway. He explains that there were those who wanted to kill you and understandably but he values life. NAturally your weapons have been stripped from you. He explains that they're here to retrieve a nuclear warhead located deep underground to keep them
Outside the room you find a group of rebels trying to cross a barrier but failing miserably (sparks fly jokes are made). This is a training part where your employed to go after the plug that's out of reach to drop the barrier for the rebels. (Do it or we'll make your short remaining life so miserable...) They go through and that's that short bit.
This is a short part where you don't ahve any weapons (save a combat knife if you do a bit of exploring which the rebels comment on but do nothing about) essentially you're dodging zombies until you can drop a barrier and let the rebels come in and clean house.
This portion ends with a battle against a number of Pit Drones (DUN DUN DUUNNNNN Race X!) that actually teleport in and start killing off rebels.
This leads to a part where only one, maybe two people can progress. The surviving rebels argue for a bit agreeing that Shephard definitely needs ot go through since he can deactivate the barriers. The vortigaunt with them agrees to come with you simply because the others aren't willing to risk their necks to help combine scum.
Continuing in next post.
Going for it.
Posted by Lair of The Tark - Game Designing and Writing Blog in Freshman Mixer, The Zoo on February 18th, 2010
So after some long thought and a lot of scribbling in a notebook I've decided to dive in and take the bull by the balls. Why the balls? Because the horns are sharp and the bull can see you rather clearly when you do that. In this case I'm grabbing him where it hurts and ehre he can't effectively get at me without causing more pain.
Now where was I? Oh, right, I'm speaking of an experiment into a youtube series reviewing tabletop games along the lines of other kinds of reviewers. With any luck I'll garner some good attention and hopefully do a lot of good for the hobby.
Now where was I? Oh, right, I'm speaking of an experiment into a youtube series reviewing tabletop games along the lines of other kinds of reviewers. With any luck I'll garner some good attention and hopefully do a lot of good for the hobby.
Beyond the Mirror
Posted by NuTS, here comes the fun in The Zoo on January 25th, 2010
Ho appena provato quello che ritengo al momento un gioco molto promettente.
Beyond the Mirror incentra la narrazione intorno ai temi cari a Bladerunner e per gli amanti del film non può che essere un'ottima occasione per rivivere il sapore forte di questo cult-movie.
Il gioco è ancora in fase embrionale, ma si vede già dove l'autore (Tazio Bettin, conosciuto come Suna su GcG) vuole arrivare e secondo me la strada è buona.
C'è un incidente che accomuna tutti i personaggi e dà un motivo per unirli nello stesso racconto.
Nel mio Playtest, una stazione orbitante extra-mondo degli anelli di Saturno è esplosa e il mio personaggio è uno dei sopravvissuti; ho giocato uno scienziato ex-carcerato, mandato su questa colonia penale come responsabile di una delle squadre di ricerca.
L'altro PG coinvolto era una detective che doveva capire se qualche replicante fosse coinvolto nell'incidente.
I personaggi sono caratterizzati da tre memorie, delle vere e proprie "polaroid", scatti di momenti fissati nel tempo, senza consecutività e senza divenire. Queste memorie sono il motivo per cui si gioca: il sistema porterà il gruppo a capire se si tratta di memorie vere o di memorie instaurate e/o finte.
A seguito dei conflitti ogni Memoria riceverà un segnalino Aurora o uno Crepuscolo e quando ci saranno tre segnalini di un tipo, la memoria sarà vera (3 Aurora) o finta (3 Crepuscolo).
Oltre a questo, ogni personaggio ha un punteggio di Stress che cresce col gioco e con i fallimenti dei conflitti.
Esiste un play-status tale per cui un personaggio viene automaticamente decretato "replicante".
A seguito del play-test ho suggerito a Suna un paio di punti sia di Color sia di Sistema sul quale secondo me è possibile spingere, tipo l'obbligo di avere nel cast dei personaggi un detective; non importa che sia giocante o non giocante, ma l'indagine simil-poliziesca offre una maggiore possibilità di sviluppare personaggi che sono messi sotto stress da un interrogatorio dal quale possono uscire "diversi", nel senso di scoprirsi replicanti; anche la definizione delle tre domande iniziali che portano alle tre Memorie è da sistemare, ma sicuramente è solo un problema di forma.
Il Conflitto gira su 1d6, +3dFudge. Il d6 decide chi vince la posta, mentre i 3dFudge "colorano" i ricordi legati alla Memoria che viene ritenuta pertinente al Conflitto. C'è la possibilità di "spendere" i risultati Fudge per modificare il risultato del d6, oppure sacrificare punti del d6 per far diventare positivi i dadi Fudge.
Meccanica stimolante, ma serve, secondo me, una sorta di Reflective Narration a seguito del tiro per lasciare che il giocatore dia una "giustificazione narrativa" al risultato Fudge.
Spero di rivedere il gioco aggiornato molto presto, perché è quel genere di regolamenti che trovo davvero suggestivi e intriganti perché costruiscono gioco sull'esplorazione psicologica, piuttosto che fondare psicologie fisse con cui giocare.
So tired, so busy.
Posted by Lair of The Tark - Game Designing and Writing Blog in Freshman Mixer, The Zoo on January 15th, 2010
So this month will be a busy month. I have a new youtube series in the works. I'm getting my stuff up on Kobold Quarterly and I'm going for the gold with The Escapist. I really don't have much else to say other than if anyone out there has any sleep to spare I would love to have some.
Structure of Play
Structure of Play
Most of these elements don't have any mechanics wrapped around them. But, I think it is important to understand how the game was designed to flow.
The Scene is the smallest unit of play. Players take turns setting Scenes.
The Session is defined as any continuous period of time where the group is playing together.
Next, is the Story Arc. This is the Plot that unfolds when a character attempts to support or refute their Goal. A Story Arc is considered complete when either a Goal is accomplished, or the character changes their Goal.
Finally, there is the Adventure. This is a Series of Story Arcs that proceed until each character has completed at least one Story Arc each.
Does that make sense to you? What do you think?
Most of these elements don't have any mechanics wrapped around them. But, I think it is important to understand how the game was designed to flow.
- Brainstorm topics, ideas and themes that everyone would be interested in.
- The group determines who is the Mastermind.
- The Mastermind combines those ideas into an Antagonist that they are excited about.
- The Mastermind describes the Antagonist and what they are currently doing.
- The rest of the players design characters around the themes/activities highlighted by the Antagonist.
- The Mastermind should develop Plots around each characters' Goals.
- The first Session starts
- Each player Selects a Scene
- Once the players have all had a turn, the Mastermind sets a scene.
- Scenes continue until the Session is over.
- Sessions continue until each character is able to complete their Story Arc (they complete or change their Goal).
- Story Arcs continue until the Adventure is complete (At least one Story Arc is completed for each character).
The Scene is the smallest unit of play. Players take turns setting Scenes.
The Session is defined as any continuous period of time where the group is playing together.
Next, is the Story Arc. This is the Plot that unfolds when a character attempts to support or refute their Goal. A Story Arc is considered complete when either a Goal is accomplished, or the character changes their Goal.
Finally, there is the Adventure. This is a Series of Story Arcs that proceed until each character has completed at least one Story Arc each.
Does that make sense to you? What do you think?
Phew, Glad That’s Over!
Finally, Christmas is out of the way. Honestly, it gets more of a strain and less of a joy every single year. Sometimes I wish I could just forget about the whole thing, if only the Retailers would let me.
Anyway, I need a rest for a week or two, partly to recover, partly to sort out a few other niggling problems in my life, and partly because I often find it helpful to take a break and come back to a project later with a clear head.
-Ash
Children of Sin, d10 Design contest entry.
Posted by Lair of The Tark - Game Designing and Writing Blog in Freshman Mixer, The Zoo on January 1st, 2010
And there came to pass a time of great harvest and all men of the earth and the sea went forth into their fields and there boats and harvested the great bounty for in time to come there would be a great famine and the labor of man was the only path to salvation. Yet one man chose not, for he was apathy and from his lassitude was borne the first son; sloth.
And as the man rested upon the hills overlooking his fellow men laboring against the famine their came into his sight a luscious maiden of great fertility. And from this sight he became longing and from his immense desire he bore his second son; lust.
Yet the maiden was betrothed to his brother who worked the fields of his home to feed his family. Because of her unparalleled beauty and marriage to his brother he became jealousy. And from his covetous hunger was born his third son; envy.
Denied his desire, the man went down the hill to his brothers home. Seeing their brother not laboring they cried, "Why dost thou not labor? Dost thou not know the coming famine?" And the man replied, "I shall not work. For I am wealthy and require not to labor." And from this boast he became arrogance. Thus he bore his fourth son; pride.
And so it came to pass that the man went into his brothers home mournful for being denied his desires. Thus he drank deeply of his brothers wine until he was witless and drank more beyond that for the image of his brothers wife plagued his eyes and tore at his heart. Thus he became overindulgence, and from his unquenchable thirst he bore his fifth son; gluttony.
Without the paradise found between the thighs of his desire he sought satisfaction in his wealth. Yet even in this he found no satisfaction for he took and stole from his fellow man never finding enough gold to satisfy his hunger and drown out the lust for his brothers wife. Thus he became dissatisfaction, and from his glowing piles of wealth thus was born his sixth son; greed.
Filled wiht despair the man approached his brothers wife and demanded to lie wiht her and she said, "I cannot lie with you for I am married to your brother and cannot betray him for thou art witless and lazy. From thine hands come showers of gold but no love and from thine loins comes only lust but not compassion. No, I will not lie with thee." Thus the man became rage. And from the body of the woman he sculpted with his hands his seventh and most terrible son; wrath.
And as the man rested upon the hills overlooking his fellow men laboring against the famine their came into his sight a luscious maiden of great fertility. And from this sight he became longing and from his immense desire he bore his second son; lust.
Yet the maiden was betrothed to his brother who worked the fields of his home to feed his family. Because of her unparalleled beauty and marriage to his brother he became jealousy. And from his covetous hunger was born his third son; envy.
Denied his desire, the man went down the hill to his brothers home. Seeing their brother not laboring they cried, "Why dost thou not labor? Dost thou not know the coming famine?" And the man replied, "I shall not work. For I am wealthy and require not to labor." And from this boast he became arrogance. Thus he bore his fourth son; pride.
And so it came to pass that the man went into his brothers home mournful for being denied his desires. Thus he drank deeply of his brothers wine until he was witless and drank more beyond that for the image of his brothers wife plagued his eyes and tore at his heart. Thus he became overindulgence, and from his unquenchable thirst he bore his fifth son; gluttony.
Without the paradise found between the thighs of his desire he sought satisfaction in his wealth. Yet even in this he found no satisfaction for he took and stole from his fellow man never finding enough gold to satisfy his hunger and drown out the lust for his brothers wife. Thus he became dissatisfaction, and from his glowing piles of wealth thus was born his sixth son; greed.
Filled wiht despair the man approached his brothers wife and demanded to lie wiht her and she said, "I cannot lie with you for I am married to your brother and cannot betray him for thou art witless and lazy. From thine hands come showers of gold but no love and from thine loins comes only lust but not compassion. No, I will not lie with thee." Thus the man became rage. And from the body of the woman he sculpted with his hands his seventh and most terrible son; wrath.