It has been a very long time since I have done one of these posts - over two years - but there may be more interest in these now than there was back then. If this is or is not something you would like to continue seeing the future, let me know in the comments.
New Projects
Masks: A New Generation
Closes: 25Oct2015
Funded: Yes!
This is a super heroes game with a focus on young characters and their stories, such as you would find in Teen Titans, Young Avengers, and Young Justice. It uses the Powered by the Apocalypse system and incorporates many of the innovations which have been developed over the years by games such as Monsterhearts and Urban Shadows. Playbooks (an archetype system) are used as a template for your character, while layered on top of this are Labels (Danger, Freak, Mundane, Savoir, and Superior) which define how you view yourself. True to the medium which this emulates, your self-perception can change over time and your ratings in the labels will change with it.
Masks' default setting is one where PCs are the fourth generation of heroes and just coming into their own, having yet to define who they are going to be. The previous generations line up with the equivalent comic book ages and how they are presented: gold, silver, and bronze. Halcyon City is the primary locale and has been fleshed out considerably through various stretch goals.
The people of +Magpie Games always do fine work and I expect this to be no exception. If nothing else, a draft of the game is available to download right now.
Protocol Primer: A Complete Guide to GMless Games
Closes: 29Oct2015
Funded: Yes!
The Protocol games by +postworldgames jim pinto are perhaps my favorite GMless games out there. There are a lot of them (over 50 as of right now) and all I have been exposed to have at least been quite good, with some varying to excellent. One of the reasons they work so well for me is how they handle scene framing and get directly to the game, which is particularly helpful when introducing gamers to the concept of a GMless game.
This is about creating a guide to help with this entire process and offer some advice, including pulling back the curtain and showing why things are put together the way they are. There is also at least one unique game offered only through this project. No matter what, you are also going to get at least one game - even at basic $6 pledge, you are walking away with a random protocol in addition to the primer.
Wild Skies: Europa Tempest
Closes: 31Oct2015
Funded: Yes!
Okay, stick with me for this: Wild Skies is a dieselpunk game of sky pirates over 1930's Europe featuring anthropomorphic animals. This should either get very close to selling your right away, or send you running for the hills.
The mechanical heart of the game is the Moral Compass, which allows you to define what is most important to your character by choosing four matched pairs from a list of eight. Each matched pair represents a continuum from opposite poles and your experience is marked by moving along these tracks. There are some nuances to it which indicate it will be interesting at the very least and worth investigating further.
Pulsars
Closes: 01Nov2015
Funded: No
You are a member of the Pulsar Corps in this sci-fi game. An exceptional soldier who is further enhanced by possession of a powerful suit. This rare piece of technology amplify the traits of their wearer and giving them amazing abilities. Those of the Pulsar Corps have many different roles, from investigator to medic and warrior. They stand against the tide in a losing war struggle as this grinding conflict wears at them, represented by Strain.
There are interesting things going on here and the mechanics appear to be derived from the Wager system first introduced in Houses of the Blooded, then refined in World of Dew. Which makes me even more interested.
Part of the premise of this campaign is each backer will receive a fragment of a larger piece of fiction which can then be put back together by intrepid backers who decide to share. Since I'm somewhere between incredibly busy and a reclusive shut in, I have not participated in this endeavor. This seems as good a point as any to rectify the situation. Here is the fragment which was provided to me:
The sector was under the sway of the Baronies, a loose confederation of systems that barely held on as a Great Power compared to the Stellar Republic and the Universal Kollective.
We were in free space, but even then we had not seen any of their patrol ships for weeks and the last one we saw was guzzling fuel at a frightening rate. There was almost no way they could have sent a ship out this far.
It was as we were gearing up for our next stardive that my chief science officer, Lieutenant Sao Sejano, brought something to my attention.
“Captain, I don’t know if we should make the stardive as planned.”
“Lieutenant, I understand we are running our engines a little hot but the chief engineer has signed off on this jump-“
The Ninja Crusade 2nd Edition
Closes: 05Nov2015
Funded: No
I have been excited about this project ever since it was first teased months ago. This is a game of mystical ninja which can vary between high action, political intrigue between the factions, and stealthy missions. The mechanics have been tightened up and refine the first edition considerably, complete with lessons learned from the other +Third Eye Games titles, particularly the skill combo system which has worked very well in games like AMP: Year One. I know I like to have plenty of mechanical toys into which I can sink my teeth, and this game does not disappoint. Nothing complicated, but from +Eloy's recent work the depth and potential interactions should be excellent.
In the setting, the ninja clans are at war with the empire, with a tenuous peace between the clans. Which leads to them occasionally being at war with each other, as they continue to exploit any advantage to gain position over their rivals. The setting is easy to grasp the basic concepts and dive right in, but there is quite a bit of depth for those who are interested to further explore the complex relationships between the factions.
The uniformly excellent quality of the art which has been previewed thus far is also notable. It is evocative of the game and conveys a feeling of action.
Aquelarre
Closes: 16Nov2015
Funded: No
Ever since I first found out about this game decades ago, I wanted it. Now I finally have my chance. This is a dark and moody Spanish game which is gorgeous to behold. The premise is characters are in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, a very dark and supernatural version of the Middle Ages. Angels, demons, and fairy tales are all a part of the setting, though probably not in a good way.
This isn't a game for everyone and despite how I covet it, I know there are mechanics which are not for me. The basic system uses percentile dice and there are also hit locations - neither of these are for me. However, it is indicated there will be an adaptation to the D6xD6 system, so perhaps this will work out.
Despite my personal issues with these elements, this promises to be a beautiful book and an amazing setting.
Awaken
Closes: 20Nov2015
Funded: No
The first thing which attracted me to this project was the art - it is amazing. It is beautiful and makes me want to explore their world. From there, it may not come as a surprise to know I have this thing for dark fantasy games and this particular game looks like it will scratch the itch nicely. The premise of the setting is one of political machinations in a war-ravaged world. Behind the intrigues of the nobles, the guardians are dying and the ancient adversaries of myth are returning. Some humans Awaken to potentially great powers and possess the ability to lead their fellow man and turn the tide. Though people being people, not all of them are pre-disposed to helping anyone with their new found power.
While nothing here may be ground breaking in concept, all together it is a dark take on a classic formula in a lovely package. The heavy influence Slavic myths play on the whole is something which is an uncommon twist, and a particular selling point as something to set the game apart.
New Projects
Closes: 25Oct2015
Funded: Yes!
This is a super heroes game with a focus on young characters and their stories, such as you would find in Teen Titans, Young Avengers, and Young Justice. It uses the Powered by the Apocalypse system and incorporates many of the innovations which have been developed over the years by games such as Monsterhearts and Urban Shadows. Playbooks (an archetype system) are used as a template for your character, while layered on top of this are Labels (Danger, Freak, Mundane, Savoir, and Superior) which define how you view yourself. True to the medium which this emulates, your self-perception can change over time and your ratings in the labels will change with it.
Masks' default setting is one where PCs are the fourth generation of heroes and just coming into their own, having yet to define who they are going to be. The previous generations line up with the equivalent comic book ages and how they are presented: gold, silver, and bronze. Halcyon City is the primary locale and has been fleshed out considerably through various stretch goals.
The people of +Magpie Games always do fine work and I expect this to be no exception. If nothing else, a draft of the game is available to download right now.
Closes: 29Oct2015
Funded: Yes!
The Protocol games by +postworldgames jim pinto are perhaps my favorite GMless games out there. There are a lot of them (over 50 as of right now) and all I have been exposed to have at least been quite good, with some varying to excellent. One of the reasons they work so well for me is how they handle scene framing and get directly to the game, which is particularly helpful when introducing gamers to the concept of a GMless game.
This is about creating a guide to help with this entire process and offer some advice, including pulling back the curtain and showing why things are put together the way they are. There is also at least one unique game offered only through this project. No matter what, you are also going to get at least one game - even at basic $6 pledge, you are walking away with a random protocol in addition to the primer.
Wild Skies: Europa TempestCloses: 31Oct2015
Funded: Yes!
Okay, stick with me for this: Wild Skies is a dieselpunk game of sky pirates over 1930's Europe featuring anthropomorphic animals. This should either get very close to selling your right away, or send you running for the hills.
The mechanical heart of the game is the Moral Compass, which allows you to define what is most important to your character by choosing four matched pairs from a list of eight. Each matched pair represents a continuum from opposite poles and your experience is marked by moving along these tracks. There are some nuances to it which indicate it will be interesting at the very least and worth investigating further.
Pulsars
Closes: 01Nov2015
Funded: No
You are a member of the Pulsar Corps in this sci-fi game. An exceptional soldier who is further enhanced by possession of a powerful suit. This rare piece of technology amplify the traits of their wearer and giving them amazing abilities. Those of the Pulsar Corps have many different roles, from investigator to medic and warrior. They stand against the tide in a losing war struggle as this grinding conflict wears at them, represented by Strain.
There are interesting things going on here and the mechanics appear to be derived from the Wager system first introduced in Houses of the Blooded, then refined in World of Dew. Which makes me even more interested.
Part of the premise of this campaign is each backer will receive a fragment of a larger piece of fiction which can then be put back together by intrepid backers who decide to share. Since I'm somewhere between incredibly busy and a reclusive shut in, I have not participated in this endeavor. This seems as good a point as any to rectify the situation. Here is the fragment which was provided to me:
The sector was under the sway of the Baronies, a loose confederation of systems that barely held on as a Great Power compared to the Stellar Republic and the Universal Kollective.
We were in free space, but even then we had not seen any of their patrol ships for weeks and the last one we saw was guzzling fuel at a frightening rate. There was almost no way they could have sent a ship out this far.
It was as we were gearing up for our next stardive that my chief science officer, Lieutenant Sao Sejano, brought something to my attention.
“Captain, I don’t know if we should make the stardive as planned.”
“Lieutenant, I understand we are running our engines a little hot but the chief engineer has signed off on this jump-“
The Ninja Crusade 2nd Edition
Closes: 05Nov2015
Funded: No
I have been excited about this project ever since it was first teased months ago. This is a game of mystical ninja which can vary between high action, political intrigue between the factions, and stealthy missions. The mechanics have been tightened up and refine the first edition considerably, complete with lessons learned from the other +Third Eye Games titles, particularly the skill combo system which has worked very well in games like AMP: Year One. I know I like to have plenty of mechanical toys into which I can sink my teeth, and this game does not disappoint. Nothing complicated, but from +Eloy's recent work the depth and potential interactions should be excellent.
In the setting, the ninja clans are at war with the empire, with a tenuous peace between the clans. Which leads to them occasionally being at war with each other, as they continue to exploit any advantage to gain position over their rivals. The setting is easy to grasp the basic concepts and dive right in, but there is quite a bit of depth for those who are interested to further explore the complex relationships between the factions.
The uniformly excellent quality of the art which has been previewed thus far is also notable. It is evocative of the game and conveys a feeling of action.
AquelarreCloses: 16Nov2015
Funded: No
Ever since I first found out about this game decades ago, I wanted it. Now I finally have my chance. This is a dark and moody Spanish game which is gorgeous to behold. The premise is characters are in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, a very dark and supernatural version of the Middle Ages. Angels, demons, and fairy tales are all a part of the setting, though probably not in a good way.
This isn't a game for everyone and despite how I covet it, I know there are mechanics which are not for me. The basic system uses percentile dice and there are also hit locations - neither of these are for me. However, it is indicated there will be an adaptation to the D6xD6 system, so perhaps this will work out.
Despite my personal issues with these elements, this promises to be a beautiful book and an amazing setting.
Awaken
Closes: 20Nov2015
Funded: No
The first thing which attracted me to this project was the art - it is amazing. It is beautiful and makes me want to explore their world. From there, it may not come as a surprise to know I have this thing for dark fantasy games and this particular game looks like it will scratch the itch nicely. The premise of the setting is one of political machinations in a war-ravaged world. Behind the intrigues of the nobles, the guardians are dying and the ancient adversaries of myth are returning. Some humans Awaken to potentially great powers and possess the ability to lead their fellow man and turn the tide. Though people being people, not all of them are pre-disposed to helping anyone with their new found power.
While nothing here may be ground breaking in concept, all together it is a dark take on a classic formula in a lovely package. The heavy influence Slavic myths play on the whole is something which is an uncommon twist, and a particular selling point as something to set the game apart.
