So, why is The Traveller Book available as a POD, but The Traveller Adventure is not?
I'm not even sure why that would be the case. Isn't the formatting you'd need to do to put out a proper, well-formatted PDF just a step or two away from doing a POD?
I'd be very happy to also have a copy of The Traveller Adventure. Maybe then I could run a side campaign of 1st edition Traveller.
I mean, or GURPS Traveller, but part of me really likes Traveller chargen and the damage system of Traveller - which leads to more incapacitation than automatic death, in my experience. But I have the tools on hand for either.
Saturday, May 7, 2022
Friday, May 6, 2022
Links for 5/6/2022
A few links for Friday:
- This post convinced me to finally add a copy of The Traveller Book to my Traveller collection. I have the Deluxe Traveller books, the much less good Starter Traveller books (I still feel a little ripped off by that . . . it was $12 when that was a lot of money for me to save up . . . I should have gotten Deluxe for $20 a few months of saving later.)
It didn't hurt that I had a gift card just sitting here collecting literal dust.
I will probably never play Traveller, but, like Star Frontiers, holds a special place in my heart. Both really fit what I like to see in my "hard" science fiction. I was really happy to get a chance to do some editing on some Traveller books for GURPS, too.
On a tangent, Star Ace is what I like to see in "soft" science fiction. Kelibor are so fun - giant psionic bears - but so, so costly in GURPS terms.
- I wondered how Bones VI was doing. It's over. I just lost track of when that would be . . . I was out, anyway. It looks like it did about half of what Bones V did - ~9K backers and $1.7 million vs. ~18.5K backers and $3.3 million. I wonder if that's a blip or a market or demand change.
- I might need this book:
(Amazon.com affiliate link)
You know, for times when you can't remember how Dorcas connected to Severian or what cacogen means. A searchable Kindle or PDF version would be most useful, a print book most enjoyable.
- Just a note that I almost forgot to go check Forge for updates. I try to regularly update just because I don't want to suffer old bugs longer than necessary.
- I'm thinking I should finally re-install and play Torment: Tides of Numenera. Maybe after the NHL playoffs.
- This post convinced me to finally add a copy of The Traveller Book to my Traveller collection. I have the Deluxe Traveller books, the much less good Starter Traveller books (I still feel a little ripped off by that . . . it was $12 when that was a lot of money for me to save up . . . I should have gotten Deluxe for $20 a few months of saving later.)
It didn't hurt that I had a gift card just sitting here collecting literal dust.
I will probably never play Traveller, but, like Star Frontiers, holds a special place in my heart. Both really fit what I like to see in my "hard" science fiction. I was really happy to get a chance to do some editing on some Traveller books for GURPS, too.
On a tangent, Star Ace is what I like to see in "soft" science fiction. Kelibor are so fun - giant psionic bears - but so, so costly in GURPS terms.
- I wondered how Bones VI was doing. It's over. I just lost track of when that would be . . . I was out, anyway. It looks like it did about half of what Bones V did - ~9K backers and $1.7 million vs. ~18.5K backers and $3.3 million. I wonder if that's a blip or a market or demand change.
- I might need this book:
(Amazon.com affiliate link)You know, for times when you can't remember how Dorcas connected to Severian or what cacogen means. A searchable Kindle or PDF version would be most useful, a print book most enjoyable.
- Just a note that I almost forgot to go check Forge for updates. I try to regularly update just because I don't want to suffer old bugs longer than necessary.
- I'm thinking I should finally re-install and play Torment: Tides of Numenera. Maybe after the NHL playoffs.
Thursday, May 5, 2022
Simplified Task Difficulty
I may have posted on this before, but I couldn't find a similar post when I searched.
One thing that can slow down a GURPS game is calculating modifiers.
One simpler way to set a penalty is to just choose a total level of difficulty from the Task Difficulty list (Basic, p. 345-6)
The TD has 21 possible levels: +10 through -10.
Let's simplify that to 5.
Net conditions are:
Nearly Perfect: +8
Great: +4
Good: +0
Bad: -4
Really Bad: -8
If using these levels, do not use any other modifiers except those that are specifically inherent to a character. If your character gets a specific bonus from a paid-for advantage or a specific penalty from a disadvantage or quirk (or vice-versa), include that. Otherwise . . . this is it. You can't fish for any other benefits.
This wouldn't fly well with a group used to dealing with specific penalties and bonuses, and who have designed characters around those specific bonuses. But for a group used to playing a bit fast-and-loose with modifiers, this might make the process of figuring out what to roll against much easier.
One thing that can slow down a GURPS game is calculating modifiers.
One simpler way to set a penalty is to just choose a total level of difficulty from the Task Difficulty list (Basic, p. 345-6)
The TD has 21 possible levels: +10 through -10.
Let's simplify that to 5.
Net conditions are:
Nearly Perfect: +8
Great: +4
Good: +0
Bad: -4
Really Bad: -8
If using these levels, do not use any other modifiers except those that are specifically inherent to a character. If your character gets a specific bonus from a paid-for advantage or a specific penalty from a disadvantage or quirk (or vice-versa), include that. Otherwise . . . this is it. You can't fish for any other benefits.
This wouldn't fly well with a group used to dealing with specific penalties and bonuses, and who have designed characters around those specific bonuses. But for a group used to playing a bit fast-and-loose with modifiers, this might make the process of figuring out what to roll against much easier.
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Silly Star Wars crossover thought
I work in a place that has TVs running in the background all day. Mostly I ignore them, except to look up at hockey highlights, market news, and Bassmasters on Saturday morning. But on 5/4, they play some station that shows Star Wars all day.
It brought me back a little to playing Star Wars with my cousin as a GM.
It also occasioned the thought that a good Jester Gate location for Felltower would be a pistine forest full of litle hairy cannibal ninjas so badass they're shocked and saddened when they suffer a single casualty wiping out an entire army. Like Horde Pygmies, but way more lethal. They'd have the Bulletproof Nudity trait, too, obviously, n the form of Bulletproof Cuteness.
I'm not saying I'd do it, but I would do it. What kind of treasure to appropriate to hand out to the few, haggard survivors would be a good question. Uhm, getting to visit some friendly ghosts? That would fit the best.
It brought me back a little to playing Star Wars with my cousin as a GM.
It also occasioned the thought that a good Jester Gate location for Felltower would be a pistine forest full of litle hairy cannibal ninjas so badass they're shocked and saddened when they suffer a single casualty wiping out an entire army. Like Horde Pygmies, but way more lethal. They'd have the Bulletproof Nudity trait, too, obviously, n the form of Bulletproof Cuteness.
I'm not saying I'd do it, but I would do it. What kind of treasure to appropriate to hand out to the few, haggard survivors would be a good question. Uhm, getting to visit some friendly ghosts? That would fit the best.
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Sports in Fantasy Games
Looking back on my games, I haven't featured a lot of sports. Not even the sportified version of combat sports - touch duels, jousts, etc.
We've tried, but generally it's fizzled. We've had PCs fight in pit fights, but inevitably the same guys who want their PCs to fight in them also want to kill their opponents, kill anyone who doesn't want them killing their opponents, and then kill their way out of town. So it goes from "sport" to "murder" in a few turns of combat.
We have had forced competitions, with foot races, obstacle courses, and odd skill challenges.
Not much else.
The Dread Empire books featured "Captures," a game that's very much like a variant of Calcio Fiorentino. So is the Game of the Juggers, actually. They'd make good sporting events in a fantasy world.
I've just had trouble featuring them in a game and then getting players to treat them as something other than a lethal encounter with a thin veneer over the top. Anyone have any better luck with a game within a game?
We've tried, but generally it's fizzled. We've had PCs fight in pit fights, but inevitably the same guys who want their PCs to fight in them also want to kill their opponents, kill anyone who doesn't want them killing their opponents, and then kill their way out of town. So it goes from "sport" to "murder" in a few turns of combat.
We have had forced competitions, with foot races, obstacle courses, and odd skill challenges.
Not much else.
The Dread Empire books featured "Captures," a game that's very much like a variant of Calcio Fiorentino. So is the Game of the Juggers, actually. They'd make good sporting events in a fantasy world.
I've just had trouble featuring them in a game and then getting players to treat them as something other than a lethal encounter with a thin veneer over the top. Anyone have any better luck with a game within a game?
Monday, May 2, 2022
Conflicts of Felltower
So Felltower has some factions, but it also has a little bit in the way of conflict arcs.
Good vs. Evil
There is a very, very strong Good versus Evil conflict in Felltower. It's central to the game design. The PCs generally are on the side of good, although not always. But there is capital-G Good in direct and indirect conflict with capital-E Evil. Some of that evil is consciously fighting against civilization and good, and some of it just is in a way that is orthagonal to Good . . . Elder Things often fall along that line.
Although we joke constantly that Magery is an evil trait, there isn't a "religion" versus "magic" conflict in the game.
Caution vs. Confidence
The game demands confidence, and risk-taking. The game punishes hubris, and thus caution allows one to live long enough to take risks. Overconfidence is an easy -5 points but it could cost you your character; Cowardice is an easy -10 and it could cost you any real success.
This does show in NPCs, too. Goblins - and some of the monsters and factions - show a bit too much caution. Conversely, NPCs such as Sterick as a good example of when confidence becomes hubris, and he ended up paying for that. Maybe not in the way a reader or player might think.
Old vs. New
This one is less obvious, but there is a conflict between the new and the old in Felltower. Many, many things in there are old. Some are ancient. Many of them conflict with newer things. There is a confict between the needs of the veterans and the newbie PCs, too, even if they're on the same side. They have different needs, driven by the XP system. Those in the dungeon are often in conflict between the needs of those who have been there a long time, and those who have more recently arrived.
This is also expressed in aging and passing of the guard. Some things are holding on for dear life; others are in ascendence. Again, this is less obvious, but it's quite real.
We don't have any conflict between civilization and barbarism - fantasy style, anyway. We don't really have Law vs. Chaos, except embedded in Good vs. Evil. We also lack any conflict between nations. If I can think of any conflicts I'm missing, I'll add them in a future post.
Good vs. Evil
There is a very, very strong Good versus Evil conflict in Felltower. It's central to the game design. The PCs generally are on the side of good, although not always. But there is capital-G Good in direct and indirect conflict with capital-E Evil. Some of that evil is consciously fighting against civilization and good, and some of it just is in a way that is orthagonal to Good . . . Elder Things often fall along that line.
Although we joke constantly that Magery is an evil trait, there isn't a "religion" versus "magic" conflict in the game.
Caution vs. Confidence
The game demands confidence, and risk-taking. The game punishes hubris, and thus caution allows one to live long enough to take risks. Overconfidence is an easy -5 points but it could cost you your character; Cowardice is an easy -10 and it could cost you any real success.
This does show in NPCs, too. Goblins - and some of the monsters and factions - show a bit too much caution. Conversely, NPCs such as Sterick as a good example of when confidence becomes hubris, and he ended up paying for that. Maybe not in the way a reader or player might think.
Old vs. New
This one is less obvious, but there is a conflict between the new and the old in Felltower. Many, many things in there are old. Some are ancient. Many of them conflict with newer things. There is a confict between the needs of the veterans and the newbie PCs, too, even if they're on the same side. They have different needs, driven by the XP system. Those in the dungeon are often in conflict between the needs of those who have been there a long time, and those who have more recently arrived.
This is also expressed in aging and passing of the guard. Some things are holding on for dear life; others are in ascendence. Again, this is less obvious, but it's quite real.
We don't have any conflict between civilization and barbarism - fantasy style, anyway. We don't really have Law vs. Chaos, except embedded in Good vs. Evil. We also lack any conflict between nations. If I can think of any conflicts I'm missing, I'll add them in a future post.
Sunday, May 1, 2022
Known factions of Felltower
What factions exist in Felltower?
Some of these may be one faction, seen by the PCs as different groups. Some may be the same group, seen by the PCs coming at them from different directions and thus as seperate groups. I'm presenting them as I think the players perceive them based on their discussions. I make no claims to the accuracy of this. Some of this is dead on, some of this is wildly and dangerously inaccurate, and some of it won't ever matter for play.
This is current as of 5/1/2022 - I've left off groups that were exterminated. No one cares anymore what the Choke Brothers or the trolls on level 1 or the hobgoblins were up to. They've been dead since before most or all of the current characters were generated.
Orcs
The orcs claim to be seeking something in Felltower. Rumor has a lost orc chief or king buried in the dungeon.* At one point they seemed to be attempting to control access to the dungeon (and the then-PCs actively abeted them and encouraged them in this), but have not contested access to the depths in a long time.
Six Fingered Cultists
Not seen in a long time in the dungeon, but still around in Stericksburg - they even have a temple with cult-only access in town. Probably one with the Gith.
Gith
Named by the players from an assortment of rumored names. Also known as the six-fingered demon elven vampires. Control several levels below the second Giant Fantastic Staircase. Goals are unknown, but they do have allied creatures - norkers, golden swordsmen, obsidian golems, iron spectres, and possibly certain oozes.**
Mungo and the Trolls
Mungo lives in the depths with a lot of trolls. As in, maybe two dozen, maybe more. Mungo the giant troll wants food and treasure.***
Sirkar
Live on the frost world. Little is known about them.
Apes
Slave-trading Roman-esque apes. Happy to trade slaves and spices but not seemingly interested in hiring delvers to kill things for them. Used to trade primitive ape slaves to the hobgoblins in return for money (and possibly other things) and willing to do so with the PCs. Goals in Feltower unclear, and they don't seem to have any on the surface.
Navigators
Encountered on the frost world. Unclear what they want, other than money to provide a service.
Anyone I miss?
Note: I didn't include any singular monsters. They aren't factions. Even a singular monster with some allies doesn't count, except Mungo, who has expressed a clear request for specific things. So I didn't forget the dragons, or the beholder, or the gargoyles . . . they don't, at a glance, seem to be part of a "group." The beholder, especially, is based on an early D&D/AD&D interpretation, not a peri-and-post-Forgotten Realms interpretation, so they're smart but aren't Lawful Evil masterminds. It's not likely to be a "faction" but could be in some way part of one that can handle an Elder Thing force of chaos.
* And they steadfastly refuse to hire the PCs to find it for them like good video game NPCs, thus, in true game logic, making it totally justified to exterminate them. Heh.
** I need art, a royalties-based contract, and a little free time to make a Monsters of Felltower book once I'm okay with releasing stats. I have a good number of critters I've made for the game . . . and golden swordsmen, obsidian golems, iron spectres, and the gith (not my name for them) amongst them.
*** Meaning it's utterly impossible, in true delver fashion, to negotiate with him, as he won't take junky rations in return for treasure and won't give up his treasure. Double heh. Heck, this crazy guy wants treasure himself. It's really impossible to understand . . . heh heh heh.
Some of these may be one faction, seen by the PCs as different groups. Some may be the same group, seen by the PCs coming at them from different directions and thus as seperate groups. I'm presenting them as I think the players perceive them based on their discussions. I make no claims to the accuracy of this. Some of this is dead on, some of this is wildly and dangerously inaccurate, and some of it won't ever matter for play.
This is current as of 5/1/2022 - I've left off groups that were exterminated. No one cares anymore what the Choke Brothers or the trolls on level 1 or the hobgoblins were up to. They've been dead since before most or all of the current characters were generated.
Orcs
The orcs claim to be seeking something in Felltower. Rumor has a lost orc chief or king buried in the dungeon.* At one point they seemed to be attempting to control access to the dungeon (and the then-PCs actively abeted them and encouraged them in this), but have not contested access to the depths in a long time.
Six Fingered Cultists
Not seen in a long time in the dungeon, but still around in Stericksburg - they even have a temple with cult-only access in town. Probably one with the Gith.
Gith
Named by the players from an assortment of rumored names. Also known as the six-fingered demon elven vampires. Control several levels below the second Giant Fantastic Staircase. Goals are unknown, but they do have allied creatures - norkers, golden swordsmen, obsidian golems, iron spectres, and possibly certain oozes.**
Mungo and the Trolls
Mungo lives in the depths with a lot of trolls. As in, maybe two dozen, maybe more. Mungo the giant troll wants food and treasure.***
Sirkar
Live on the frost world. Little is known about them.
Apes
Slave-trading Roman-esque apes. Happy to trade slaves and spices but not seemingly interested in hiring delvers to kill things for them. Used to trade primitive ape slaves to the hobgoblins in return for money (and possibly other things) and willing to do so with the PCs. Goals in Feltower unclear, and they don't seem to have any on the surface.
Navigators
Encountered on the frost world. Unclear what they want, other than money to provide a service.
Anyone I miss?
Note: I didn't include any singular monsters. They aren't factions. Even a singular monster with some allies doesn't count, except Mungo, who has expressed a clear request for specific things. So I didn't forget the dragons, or the beholder, or the gargoyles . . . they don't, at a glance, seem to be part of a "group." The beholder, especially, is based on an early D&D/AD&D interpretation, not a peri-and-post-Forgotten Realms interpretation, so they're smart but aren't Lawful Evil masterminds. It's not likely to be a "faction" but could be in some way part of one that can handle an Elder Thing force of chaos.
* And they steadfastly refuse to hire the PCs to find it for them like good video game NPCs, thus, in true game logic, making it totally justified to exterminate them. Heh.
** I need art, a royalties-based contract, and a little free time to make a Monsters of Felltower book once I'm okay with releasing stats. I have a good number of critters I've made for the game . . . and golden swordsmen, obsidian golems, iron spectres, and the gith (not my name for them) amongst them.
*** Meaning it's utterly impossible, in true delver fashion, to negotiate with him, as he won't take junky rations in return for treasure and won't give up his treasure. Double heh. Heck, this crazy guy wants treasure himself. It's really impossible to understand . . . heh heh heh.
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