I posted to indie-netgaming about a oneshot (playtest? drivethru?) of gobi's excellent game, PUNK; I thought I'd mention it here too, since may folks took a shine to the game. To summarize:
QuoteThis game is for playing "-punk" genres - steampunk, cyberpunk, ectopunk, gothpunk, lycanthropunk - with the rules focusing on the essence of the genre, being fighting Authority and The Man.
most recent version: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=10427&highlight=punk
Actual Play: CyberBiblePunk in Judea 20X6 !! http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=10799&highlight=punk
This thing is cool, and deserves some roadtesting.
DETAILSWe're going for this
Sunday evening, 8pm EST, in the indie-netgaming IRC. However, you need to let me know if you're game, else I'll scuttle this if I don't have enough folks.
I will try streaming the soundtrack over Shoutcast radio, and it will be awesome if it works right. Rules can be explained at the game. We're basically gonna go with what's in the thread, with the slightest of tweaks* that we're gonna try out..
Ideally, gameplay will be short and to the point: gameplay will be the length of one CD (approx 80 minutes), plus time to explain the rules. so the entire thing should run from 90 minutes to 2 hours. If you need your punk to die in a blaze of guiness (read: you leave early), we'll talk.
TWEAKS* The thread says a punks is defined by 3 passions and 3 other traits. We're clarifying those "other traits" as 3 Specific Style Details, a la octaNe. Frex: (1) a Tough Guy's Spiky Leather Jacket (2) Always wearing UberCyberGoggles of NetFlexability (3) Huge Doc Martens with JumpJets installed.
And, more interestingly: the Man rolls 1 die for each Threat that's in a scene. What's a Threat? Basically a list of traits that's created by the gaming group, because: a -punk genre is fundamentally defined by the Threats the Man brings against you. Doesn't that just make sense?
cyberpunk = evilmegacorp + AI eating your brain + ...
steampunk = victorian upper class + nazis + steam mecha + ...
We'll see that in action soon enough.
GENRE?Let's kick up a discussion - what kind of "-punk" genre sounds fun for a go? I vote GothPunk (with fighting of occult beasties), since I've got some perfect music (Lost Sounds, Misfits, World Inferno Friendship Society) for the soundtrack...keno
I want to try playing this game but I can't Sunday evenings. I could do pickup games some mondays and scedule for almost any Tues and Wed.
I'm in the same situation; I run a game Sundays, so it would be a disservice to my players for me to be playing some totally different game at the same time.
Understood. I'll talk with gobi to see what he would think.
Weeknights are tough since I have to get up very early for work. :( Are friday nights or anytime saturday good?
(P.S. Holy cow, it's been a while since I've posted.)
This evening? I'm interested but absentminded. What's the server and channel for indie-netgaming?
Gothpunk is okay with me, though I think I'd prefer a less supernatural and more twisted-natural atmosphere.
I can also supply stuff for the soundtrack, if you haven't done it all already:
Killing Joke - Democracy
The Clash - The Clash
Ramones - Too Tough to Die; Hey Ho Let's Go (anthology)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Juju
The Legendary Pink Dots - Curse, The Tower (not really punk as such, very soft and slow electronic, but I think it could work for a dark punk game. The lyrics are what do it.)
Buzzcocks - Operator's Manual
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, Bedtime for Democracy
Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks
Black Flag - Family Man (mostly spoken word)
Rollins Band - Get Some Go Again
Hey Lathan. About IRC - indie-netgaming is on the linuxguy.magicstar.net server. amd the channels are #indierpgs (general group socialization), and #indie_ooc & #indie_nar for gameplay.
Firstly, a game tonight: I'm not so sure for this Sunday evening on grounds of notice / etc, but if you and gobi can, I'm all for it.
I'd be in favor of a weekday game, and a Sunday game (separate games). For a weekday game, which days / when is alright? Monday nights at 9pm?
Monday at 9 is good here.
Uh oh... bad news. I have to use a CGI client to access IRC from my dorm, and that server appears not to like them. I've sent them an email asking if there's anything to be done, but I don't know what'll happen.
Hm. Try a different client, such as MIRC for Windows, or Chatzilla built into windows? PM me if you want some more help here.
(Slight note; I'm not sure about *this* Monday at 9pm, but enough of you want it and want it now, I'd reconsider.)
Unfortunately, the dorm connection blocks pretty much everything I've found except CGI:IRC. It took me a good deal of searching to find that, too. I guess I'll have to wait and see how they respond to the email.
(sorry about the double post, this took a while)
I've found a way to access MagicStar (with help from Janus, one of the administrators). As soon as there are enough players, I'm pretty much ready.
Okay, post here or notify me if you're good to play for either night! Forgive the titles, I'm caffeinated.
1: Sunday Night Smashery: 9pm
Hopefully featuring gobi! And other stuff.
2: Monday Night Mauling: 8pm
The normal indie-netgaming time and place. For those of you who can't make Sundays.
Format
We will come up create threats/genre once we're assembled (I'm currently still favoring gothpunk, lycanthropunk and cyberpunk), and I'll try to broadcast appropriate music (with song submissions as possible). I'm volunteering to be The Man (GM) for both games, but I might switch that off to gobi or such on Sunday, mainly to screw with y'all.
Thanks!
Sunday night is good, Monday I may be a few (probably < 10) minutes late coming in. Eastern time?
Count me in for Sunday, but I'm already running a game that afternoon so I'll let hizzoner Dev be the Man.
Okay - Sunday night is then confirmed!
As for Monday night: if I'm gaming Sunday evening, I'm not 100% sure I'll be up for one again on Monday, esp. since I'm going to be rather busy this weekend. So, for Bryan + Shreyas (and Lathan, and anyone else who's game) , I say:
* we can do a pickup game (sign on to the IRC and see who's around)
* we can make a 100% definite time/date for a next time (and you should give me better days/times, like 9pm if that's better).
Quote from: DevOkay - Sunday night is then confirmed!
As for Monday night: if I'm gaming Sunday evening, I'm not 100% sure I'll be up for one again on Monday, esp. since I'm going to be rather busy this weekend. So, for Bryan + Shreyas (and Lathan, and anyone else who's game) , I say:
* we can do a pickup game (sign on to the IRC and see who's around)
* we can make a 100% definite time/date for a next time (and you should give me better days/times, like 9pm if that's better).
Well I can make a date a week in advance for mondays and of course there is the option of pickup games, I might be induced to run one of those myself, I'll compile a list of 'Punk ideas I like and post about it...
I have revised the PUNK rules to incorporate Dev's suggestions and to streamline some of the mechanics. (http://www.danielsolis.com/games/punk.html)
The most notable change is "fixed" dice pools. Authority/anarchy can no longer be spent for +1 bonuses to die rolls. Further, having more relevant traits no longer gives you a larger dice pool.
Rather,
QuoteIf you have relevant Details and Passions, roll five dice. Such an action is referred to as a Passionate Action.
If you have a relevant Passion, but no relevant Details, roll three dice. This is also considered a Passionate Action
If you have a relevant Detail, but the action is contradictory or irrelevant to any Passion, you will get only one die. This is not considered a Passionate Action.
I suggest anyone wanting to play tonight or tomorrow night should give a quick read to the revised rules. Hopefully, the revisions have made the system tighter and easier to use.
I gave them a look... a bit confused about one thing in particular:
Quote from: the ManHere are some acronyms that might get your juices flowing for your Details:
- GUTS: Genre (style), Useful skill, Talent, Stuff (character-defining gear)
- FIST: Friend, Instinct, Style, Telltale
- SKIN: Skill, Knowledge, Instinct, eNemies
Are characters supposed to have one from each, or can we pick and choose at random? And why is "style" in there twice (once as Genre)?
Gordon
Dev suggested those acronyms as methods to come up with details for people who need a little more structure than just "make up some details." There's no hard mechanical reasoning behind them, they're just a little framework.
I'll add that explanation to the text.
EDIT:
Here's the revised passage:
QuoteIf you want some structure to your details, here are some acronym schemes that may help you out. There's nothing mechanically concrete behind these schemes, they're just examples of how you may or may not want to describe your character's Details.
- GUTS: Genre, Useful skill, Talent, Stuff (character-defining gear)
- FIST: Friend, Instinct, Style, Telltale
- SKIN: Skill, Knowledge, Instinct, eNemies
As you can see, anything relevant to the character can be a Detail, from skills and talents to friends and enemies.
If this little section ends up making character creation more confusing, I'll just delete it. As I said, it's an optional framework.
Ah, thanks for clarifying that. I don't think I'll be using it (I might be wrong though...), but it could still be useful for others.
Gordon
Hey all,
I'm sorry I did not appear there tonight. I had Massive Personal Crisis Flareup, but that's not really an excuse. So, let me just apologize. Thanks.
dev
Hi folks,
From now on, let's keep all discussion of who's going to be there and anything related to that restricted to private communications.
Best,
Ron