What's the challenge rating for a Dalek?

My Friday gaming group strives to try new games that are simple, fun, and help make the best of our limited time. By Friday night, most of us are burnt out from work; we want to play something that keeps our attention, but doesn't involve lots of detail. When we're a bit brain-fried, we play board games or card games. We've tried a few different role-playing games (we most recently played a short campaign of Star Wars SAGA Edition, which was alot of fun). I've been jonesing, though, to try a Dr. Who role playing game.

The FASA Dr. Who Role Playing Game was the first RPG I really owned. It was a complicated system, but very detailed. The best part about it, though, was the source material. The supplements on The Master, the Daleks, and the Cybermen were written with both gaming details and storytelling in mind. There are some lessons I learned from those books that I still use in my adventures today. I was so caught up in nostalgia that I had to buy a set off someone on eBay.

I decided I wanted to run a Doctor Who game, so I pulled out those old FASA rulebooks. After a good read-through, I decided that this wasn't the system for a quick, fun Friday night game. I considered a few other systems, like Spirit of the Century, and Savage Worlds (by the way, if you can find the Explorer's Edition of Savage Worlds, grab a copy. Its ten bucks, and contains a complete play system. Its one of the best gaming deals of the year). After a while, I decided on D20 Modern.

I was disappointed in myself for falling back on D20. The positives, though, outweighed the negatives. We are all familiar with the system, so we do not have a steep learning-curve. The rules are available free via the SRD, so there is no additional investment.

The setting required some specialized rules. I created a few rules for navigating time-machines and navigating through space and time. I created a couple of rules specific to Time Lords. I told players that no characters would have stat bonuses based on race, so any "alien" races are just window-dressing. I have a copy of the Mongoose pocket D20 Modern player's guide, which is fine for character and adventure creation. Set-up involved very little effort, compared to D&D.

Everyone created characters together, after sharing concepts. We played a short prelude session together, so all the players could meet. The preludes involved a burning building, a Dalek combat, a wedding, a volcano, and a guy wishing he could quit his job as a phone operator. Everyone had fun creating characters, and playing their first encounters.

We have one very unique style of character. This is the first time I've encountered this phenomenon. One player decided he wanted to create a character based on an NYPD fireman, trapped in Tower Two as it was falling on Sept. 11 '01. This was the first time I've seen anyone create a character directly influenced by Sept. 11. I hesitated a second or two when I first heard about the concept. I weighed taste vs. character development and storytelling. I decided that this particular player wouldn't do anything distasteful, and I was very curious to see how he would portray the character. So he created a jock/career NY firefighter, with an interesting history and motivation. The character injects an interesting dynamic into the game; he's the only one of these castaways-in-time who actually wants to go back home.

The game gives me a chance to go back to my childhood, when I was a fantastic Who-vian (never missing an episode on the New Jersey Network on Saturday nights, 9:30 PM 'till 11:00 PM). A few friends in the group remember the old series with fondness, so we enjoy reminiscing via roleplaying. Its an exciting experiment, and I look forward to every session.

Progress: game updates and a future for me as a swordfighter

I absolutely promise an update this week.

Subjects I'm going to cover over the next few days:

1: (Gaming) Recent gaming experiments: Dr Who RPG using D20 Modern (what should be the DR of a Cyberman?).

2: (Gaming) Higher-level D&D: my challenge at keeping it fun, as well as having appropriate-powered challenges.

3: (SCA) Historical Swordsmanship: My first steps at designing a set of lessons based around Capo Ferro's rapier manual. Also, some news about my future in swordfigting.

I'll also post little bits and pieces about my game's development. My design work has been sliding a bit; work stresses are keeping me occupied, and unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to sit down and just bang out all the work I need to right now. At this moment, I'm working on the skills mechanic. The core of the dice mechanic seems to work. I'm working on skill lists and groupings, bare-bones notes of skill descriptions and roles they'd have in the game, and how to integrate skill purchases into character creation.

I think one of my big problems, when it comes to doing game design or focusing on studying historical swrodsmanship, is my lack of focus. I still don't have a solid outline and timetable for my gaming project. My work interpreting swordfigting manuals seems to take a back-burner to other, less intense hobbies. I feel like if I want to make any significant progress in either one, I need to really work out a solid schedule. Right now, I work on both of these in my spare time. I need to treat the game design as a job (which, ultimately, it is...I'd like to see it successful enough to at least make a small profit).

So, I have something like a plan. Part of that plan is to use this blog to help chart my progress. I want to journal the creative process for both the game and swordfighting. It will also help encourage me; I've found that when I see things in print, and get feedback, I'm encouraged to do more. It wakes me up.

So, lets take the next step.

(By the way, I wanted to mention that my wife takes the best photos...the shot of the Cthulhu dice and my portrait were just sone by her...I think she's doing great. I might be able to talk her into taking some pictures of some fencers to post up here, soon).

Song...stuck...in...head!

So, Still Alive, the song from the end of Portal, is stuck in my head. Its been there all night, and all morning. I've been humming it all morning.

Have you seen the video on YouTube of the cute chick singing it?

What, you think there's something wrong with a guy who chose a set of plastic over interaction and socializing with friends?

My budget was a little tight, so I had the choice of either going to an SCA event this weekend, or buy a set of dice.

Guess which I did?



Just look at 'em. Ain't they gorgeous?

They're the Limited Edtition Call of Cthulhu dice from Q-Workshop.

You have to admit, they're darn pretty. I picked them up at Stormwatch Comics in Berlin, NJ. Hell of a great store. You a comics fan? Go there.

I really like the look of these. There's an elder sign on each die (except the D4), taking the place of the high-number.

My next step is to get one of Q-Workshop's dice-cups.

Fencing practice after-action report

I had a fantastic fencing practice last night. I got a great deal out of two fights and an evening of discussion and looking through a manual. A good amount of the evening was devoted to working our way through a very small section of a Renaissance fencing manual (Duncan, Lissa...who was the author, again?). We took a close look at the way a particular maneuver was described, and tried different variations...the usual stuff you should be doing when working with the interpretation of a fencing manual. Very enjoyable.

I talked with a couple of people about how they fight, and it helped alot. Often, I don't completely see how some people execute some types of attacks, and I get stumped. I learned more about body movement and directions of attacks out of a small conversation.

The sitting and talking about how we fence helped me a great deal. This was exactly the night I needed to re-energize me to fence more.

Book Shopping Saturday

It was a big weekend for gaming. On Saturday, I went down to Between Books in Delaware for a big book-shopping trip with a couple of friends. I haven't been there in five years or so, and was very much looking forward to the trip I usually find some hidden gems there. Last time I was there, I got some good books for historical weapons research. The time before that, I started my Traveler collection.

I picked up some beautiful books this time around. Here's a shot of most of my haul. I ended up with:

• Chill. I haven't seen a copy of Chill in ages. Its a great horror RPG. Since I cut my teeth on Call of Cthulhu and Vampire: the Masquerade, I never really got a chance to experience Chill. I'm excited to crack this open and give it a try.
• Move Under Ground was recommended by the store owner. It was pitched to me as "Keroac meets Cthulhu." I couldn't pass it up. Haven't gotten to open it yet.
• The Tales of Inspector Legrasse: I got a copy autographed by the author. Its more tales of supernatural investigation. I've never been disappointed by C.J. Henderson, so I'm excited to get the chance to read this.
• H.P. Lovecraft's Worlds of Cthulhu number 5. Its a magazine (kind of) devoted to CoC gaming. I have the previous four, and think they're fantastic. They're a great resource for Cthulhu gaming.
• VS. Outlaws: This is just AWESOME. Its not even a gaming book; its just a fold-out pamphlet. Ronin Arts released it; they offer it on their website (and offer a discount if you buy multiple copies). Best three bucks I could spend.

And then, there were the dice. Just look at these babies.



Yeah, good book weekend.

I have this in a frame over my desk

As a historical fencer and Renaissance martial artist, I can think of nothing more satisfying than to simply declare, "Yes, I am a swordsman."
John Clements

Its a small bit of inspiration, and it helps.

Game design inspired by my players

I had a good game yesterday evening with my every-other-Sunday-its-kind-of-like-Star-Wars-RPG-but-not-really group. Better than half of the group requested I run Star Wars again (we'd just ended a really good year-long campaign), so I made some notes, threw together a custom setting, and decided how I wanted to run the game.

I asked the group what style they wanted to play. They aren't much for thrilling heroics, nor for a military-style game, but really enjoyed the underworld/criminal elements I put in the last campaign. They said they wanted the style to be a little more Bourne Identity and a little less swashbuckler-ly.

So, I cheated, They think they're playing Star Wars. They're really playing Cyberpunk.

I let them in on the secret when we sat down for our character creation session...that I was burned-out on Star Wars for the time being, and when I do SW, I really love running games in the Rebellion era. So, to spice things up a bit, I made the campaign setting a little grittier, a little tougher, and a little more remote.

The first thing I did, once I decided on the feel of the campaign, was write up a couple of pages of setting notes for the group. I mailed them out to everyone a week before the character creation session. The setting is very remote (compared to other locales in the Star Wars universe), and doesn't do much "business" with the Republic (I'm setting the game a couple of hundred years before Episode 1). To my surprise, everyone created characters from the remote setting, and didn't have them have much contact with the rest of the Republic. I took this as an approval of not only my setting, but an acknowledgment that this wasn't going to be your traditional Star Wars RPG.

I've discovered a few elements that really make my recent campaigns any type of success:

1: Character creation sessions happen before any dice hit the table. These are just plain necessary now. Everyone creates characters together, sharing ideas off one another, creating back-stories off one another, and sharing in kind of a story-creating process. I've found that people are much more willing to share roles and even be a little more revolutionary as to how different roles are portrayed when they get to create everything together.

2: Player input to the types of campaign we should run is necessary. There's nothing worse than when the group thinks the game is going to be run one way, and you're thinking something totally different. This has been my bane as a GM for two decades. I have my image as to what the campaign should feel like, but then so do the players. If everyone isn't on the same page, then the campaign is doomed to failure. I've played and run alot of mood-oriented games (Cyberpunk, Vampire: the Masquerade, for example) that suffered because my image of the campaign setting wasn't near the players' expectations.

So now, I make a point of sitting with the players and asking what kind of setting they're expecting. I share what I want to portray, they share what they want to interact with. The end result is a collaborative setting in which the players feel much more invested.

3: Campaign documents help the players and GM keep the focus of the campaign. Every game I run now has some type of documentation, even if its just a one-page handout. I give some notes about the setting, list some house rules, provide pictures, maps, or diagrams where necessary, mention notable NPC's, and usually describe anything notable about the character creation process. I've found that putting something of a "mission statement" in helps really solidify the campaign. If I'm having trouble focusing on what kind of adventures to create, the mission statement and campaign doc helps keep me in the right direction.

For example, I run a small D&D campaign. I decided, when first creating it, I wanted to have a retro, classic, 1st Edition D&D feel. When I find that the plot is getting too convoluted, or my dungeon design is getting too weird, I remember that I'd said from the beginning that the campaign was supposed to feel "classic." This keeps me designing things with that "classic" influence.

None of these things are really revolutionary. Some of them, though, had to be taught to me (thanks, Eldrich, for the suggestion of "themed parties," that inspired me to have character creation sessions). Some came because if I didn't evolve, I'd never really be happy running a game again.

I keep these elements in mind while I design my own new game system. I'd like to incorporate, into the rules, character creation as a group activity (Spirit of the Century does this remarkably well). I'm thinking about designing campaign creation checklists and documents to help shape groups and campaign settings. Part of the design philosophy behind the settng and rules is based on cooperative storytelling.

A practical application for right now, too: I have an old-west game coming up soon; I'll likely use the Aces and Eights system (its all different kinds of cool), but Deadlands is speaking to me, too. To help me decide, I'm going to throw together some notes, and present them to my potential players, and maybe we can decide together.

Am I content or am I in a slump? Teaching rapier in the SCA

I got involved in fencing in the SCA completely by accident. I was running a Star Wars role-playing game at a friend's house on Sundays, and he had fencing practice on Sundays, as well. I went to his house early, and we all went to practice. I went just to kill some time and hang out.

One of the fencers there talked to me a little, and eventually dropped a sword into my hand. I expected some kind of French-grip epee, or a pistol-grip foil (I'd seen them in catalogs, and they totally destroyed any desire I had to pick up a fencing sword). Instead, it was a swept-hilted rapier (with a schlager blade, which I'd never seen before). He showed me how to stand, how to advance with it and retreat. It just felt right.

I was hooked.

I've fallen in and out of love with SCA fencing a hundred times. My enthusiasm right now is waning, partially because of medical issues and work stresses. My students really are the reason I make it to practice. My enthusiasm and passion will pick up again, I'm sure, once I spend more time on the lists, once I make it to a few more events.

So, most of my work nowadays is interpreting historical swordfighting manuals. When I teach rapier in the SCA, some of the principals I use come straight from the manuals. I focus on the practical application of those principals...they're a foundation to build from. I've found that to be a pretty strong and effective technique.

So right now, most of my attention is focused on teaching. Once I get some more energy, and feel better, I'll make it to more tournaments to compete. Right now, though, I'm content to teach. When I need to wake up out of my complacency, I just remember the first time I had a sword dropped into my hand, and how it felt just right.

Chinese Democracy

Back in '94, recording supposedly started for the next Guns 'N Roses album, which would eventually be called Chinese Democracy. By 2008, a handful of songs that are supposedly on the album have been leaked to the public. There's been a Chinese Democracy tour (that was cancelled early, so the band could go back to the studio to finish the album). Axl freaked out when he heard that The Offspring were going to call one of their albums by the same name (with the subtitle, "You Snooze, You Loose"). The album has become a joke...whenever something is taking forever to come out, you might here someone say, "Its supposed to be coming out just before Chinese Democracy."

So, I've been working on this game...I've been designing elements of it for about four years. I can find notes on it scattered in notebooks all over my house. Every now and again, I can find some time to sit and work on it with another person. There's usually a big, groundbreaking moment where that person helps me over a huge hurdle, then the work goes to bed again. I keep saying, "(this part) should be ready to play-test by (February, April, whatever)..." Then life gets in the way, and the project falls into a notebook until I have time and energy to look at it again.

Its my own Chinese Democracy.

I'm not one for New Years resolutions, but this is as good a time as any to re-commit myself to the project. I had a great talk with someone over a week ago that helped me over a big design hurdle. It re-ignited my desire to see the project move ahead. It doesn't feel like its an overwhelming objective...it feels like it can be completed. This is, of course, sometimes the best motivation.

So, here's what I'm pledging for this new year:

At least one hour's work a day on the project. Either writing background material, fudging with the mechanics, talking over concepts...anything to keep the fire going.

A play-test version of the mechanics.

Samples of artwork: I want a few pieces done.

I'll have a solid business model done (regarding distribution, production, etc.).

I'll be posting info about my own personal Chinese Democracy. I won't (because of copyright issues) post actual examples of the mechanics up here. But I'll post information about the design process, maybe some samples of writing, that kind of thing.

I'm excited.

Innaugural post: gaming, SCA, and why not LiveJournal?

So, I've moved here from LiveJournal...I wanted a place to jot down notes on gaming, SCA stuff, and the more fun parts of my life. The LJ is still out there, but most of my work will be here from here foreward.