This is Random TTRPG Thoughts #85
It’s the first full week of my actual sabbatical, I’ve found that setting an alarm is a good thing for my personal well-being, and morning coffee is a wonderful personal ritual. As my brain boots back up I’m experiencing flashes of non-contiguous cognition. These are some random TTRPG thoughts.
- I have to give a shout out to channel members My Ear Trumpet Has Been Struck By Lightning (yes, that’s the real user name) and Agile Monk. During an impromptu live stream last Saturday the two of them gave out a number gift memberships to other viewers, and that meant a lot to me. I’m pretty sure neither wants a shout out, but I felt compelled to recognize the kindness.
- I made a Dreams and Machines character to test out the process and it is dead simple. I do wonder if characters don’t have enough mechanical differentiation to make them feel unique in conflict situations, but I’m going to play around with it more. Expect a members-only live stream of the process soon! Don’t worry, it’ll go public a bit after.
- I’ve enjoyed helping the players make their Monty Python’s Cocurricular Medieval Reenactment Programme characters for the live stream on August 11! I need to get the thumbnail done so I can schedule it!
- I’ve been trying to set up a summer Sentinel Comics RPG campaign for my little, and some other local kids. Yesterday I figured out why this has been so difficult. We’ve been doing the “when we have free time” method. This does not work. I know it does not work. I knew it doesn’t work before we started trying to play. I have no idea why it took so long to dawn on me that I was running into a wall on purpose.
- For folks who are playing in campaigns I will pass on some advice which, if you follow it, will make your GM’s day. Pay attention to the game world. You’ll meet fun NPCs, discover possible adventure hooks, and pick up clues about things happening in the background. It’ll also lead to a more engaging session than if you just wait around for the next thing to go murder hobo on. Yes, it will also put you into, “Oh no, what do we do now?” situations. But that’s half the fun of role-playing!
- The anti-vax, unqualified, head of Health and Human Services is cancelling grants for mRNA vaccines. A couple of things on that. No, mRNA vaccines do not change your DNA. Yes, they work. Also, vaccines do not cause autism. I’m also reminded that this is the same guy who enjoys swimming in polluted water. I’d love to see governmental immunization decisions taken out of the hands of an ideological quack.
- Congratulations to the folks behind The Land of Eem and Monty Python’s Cocurrcicular Medieval Reenactment Programme on their Ennie wins! I’m excited to see your awesome work being recognized! I am also petitioning the Ennies that my friend, Doug Shute, should be required to wear his “Red Doug” outfit for the awards ceremony in perpetuity. It’s iconic.
- I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna make a bad mirror universe goatee out of brown card stock and record some videos while wearing it. I just need to find the right subjects…
- I need to find some time to run a Tales of Argosa adventure. Like Shadowdark before it, this game has me excited to play a D&D derived system again. If you haven’t checked it out, its well worth a look.
- Most of my Numenera group has reached tier three and are rather powerful. The fun thing is, because of the way abilities work, I can still create a lot of tension for them without much of a problem. I just have to lean into the weirdness that is the Ninth World. It’s one of the things I appreciate about the game. The characters are powerful, but they are far from invincible.
