The Back Room

[Resistance]

Fallout is the only game that did it :P

 

The technology would be similar to how it would be in the standard future except aesthetically different (rayguns and such). The whole story could be based around how the constant desire for energy tore the society apart. The space station could be a society on the brink of chaos due to energy demands and your job is to secure long-term energy solutions for the modern society.

[Alg]

As long as it's (relatively) soft science...

[Nexaduro]

Retro Futuristic makes me ill. Fallout included.

 

I enjoyed 2025. Post Apocalypse is a simple and inexplicably attractive setting for games. Maybe not so much for comedy, but when you intend comedy it's just not the same.

[Grim_]

Have you read the Diaspora game books? Even if you don't want to use the system, it's one of the better implementations of hard sci fi imo. If you want to do something semi serious I'd look at the dresden files (create your own stat system if you like) and run a relatively high powered game based off of that (The rpg books also have some of the best setting creation rules imo.).

[Nexaduro]

Alternatively and in keeping with the comedy bit;

 

We could all just play Paranoia. :D

[archimage_a]

Setting wise I have come up with this, feel free to tell me it is terrible:

Earth was conquered 15 years ago, different parts of the planet were conquered in different ways. Russia gave up willingly, while America fought a long winded battle that left several catastrophies that are still being resolved. The overlords, the Krell, are but one race in a vast Congress of races, known as the Federation. The Krell are part of the Preserver faction, aka they don't interfer with the natural development of the people they conquer.

You have each been drafted by the Krell as humanities' contribution to the Federation (Think something along the lines of the Roman Empire), you have been genetically altered to be better than humans and have been sent off on an automated Starship, known as The Caravelli, to conquer new worlds.

 

My other idea was to use the 2025 setting (aka the Stalker setting).

 

 

Stat Wise I am happy with this system:

You get 10.0 points to spend on building your character. (Parity level is 7, see below)

All checks are resolved by a d20, with modifers as and when needed.

Each level adds 1 to your roll, with decimals not counting.

However Decimals (and intergers) can be translated into powers, for instance 0.1 might translate into being able to fire a Desert Eagle without a penalty, 0.3 into firing a Shotgun, 0.8 for a Machinegun, 1.5 for a Surface to Air Missile...and so on with the decimal value being the negative modifer/10 to fire that weapon at the target. (Works much better with magical powers =P)

E.g: If you picked up a shotgun with level 10 Firearms skill then I would roll d20+10-3. If you then brought skill with that gun then your level would decrease to 9.7, which means I would roll d20+9.

 

Increasing your level would be done via pointbuy, by completing targets you set for yourself in game.

For instance:

Archi wants to build himself a tower to impress the local villagers. Archi is not a stonemason, and I don't think he will have a particularly easy time instantly constructing a tower so I, as the GM, give this a point reward of 4.

Or

Archi wants to clear out the bandits around the village. Archi is a one man army and there aren't that many bandits around the village, so I, as GM, give this a point reward of 0.2.

 

The pointbuy is also modifed by the sessions Parity Level. This simply means the average highest level of the party. If Archi has level 10 Firearms and the party average level is 10 or over then each 0.1 in Firearms costs 0.1. If Archi has level 10 Firearms and the party average is 9 then each 0.1 in Firearms costs 0.2. If the average is 8 then it costs 0.4, 7 is 0.9, 6 is 1.6, 5 is 2.5...and so on, using the square of the difference between them /10. (Aka 10-9 is 1*1=1 /10=0.1, 10-8 is 2*2=4 /10=0.4)

 

Extreme powers, such as summoning dragons, building a handheld laser gun, etc, would be possible, but are given an Acquistion level. This means that if an Extreme Power has a acquistion level of 12.0, and your level in that skill is 8.0 then each 0.1 costs 1.6 instead of 0.1 to 0.1.

You can invest points into an Extreme Power without buying the skill outright, but each 0.1 has to be applied individually, so if you drop a level the cost increases. Likewise you need to buy the skill before you can spend the skill on the Extreme Power, you cannot spend points on Extreme Powers directly.

 

 

 

As ever I am open to discussion on things and all suggestions on settings are heartily welcomed =)

[The_Mather1]

So what's up with having Stevepole lock up the Crossroads thread in the middle of discussing how to proceed? Isn't that a little counterproductive?

 

 

Also who's for making the Greek-English magic school dictionary I made a standard for terminology in future games of the Dungeoneering style, and hence adding it to one of the stickies?

 

[hide=The dictionary, for those that weren't following the Crossroads thread]Aeromancy - Air/wind magic.

Allomancy - Metal magic.

Biomancy - Flesh/body magic.

Choromancy - Space magic.

Chronomancy - Time magic.

Cryomancy - Ice/frost magic.

Culiomancy - Food magic.

Electromancy - Electricity/field magic.

Fytomancy - Nature/plant magic.

Geomancy - Earth/stone magic.

Hydromancy - Water/tide/current/moisture magic.

Necromancy - Death/undeath magic.

Neuromancy - Mind/brain/nerve magic.

Oneiromancy - Dream magic.

Othomancy - Force/push magic.

Photomancy - Light/ilusion magic.

Pyromancy - Fire/heat magic.[/hide]Open for additions and changes. If you can think of a school, but not the Greek name, don't worry, I can handle the translation.

[archimage_a]

I am considering my options in regards to Crossroads 2 and the other game. Since they will both be using the same stat system and since it gives new people a chance to join the game.

 

Partly its about drawing a line under the Old Crossroads, with my terrible attempt to impose a system on it. Games should always be about a partnership between GM and players and I lost sight of that.

Partly its about fusing the two games together and getting new people to join both and learning from the mistakes made in one to avoid them in the other.

 

I do really want to reinvigorate the Tavern.

Also it gives me a chance to kick my Fantastic Time Travelling Adventures off the first page =P

[Retech]

I thought it was the good ol' Dungeoneering.

[archimage_a]

We can talk about it tommorow, in the session. It will be running from 8 PM GMT, anyone who wants to talk about the game feel free to show up around 9 PM GMT.

[The_Mather1]

A tip for making the GM/Player partnership better:

When making puzzles, try to make them enjoyable rather than hard. It's better to have something that responds in a way that makes us curious, but gives us a hint as to what to do rather than something we have to figure out on our own.

Another idea is to make the solutions to something be according to mainstream fictional or real properties, such as the way we beat the invulnerable guardian things in the castle cellar by incinerating the diamonds that projected them.

And when the answer to something is a Chekhov's key, don't be reluctant to tell us how it is related to the lock for example by being of the same metal or a similar design.

[Nexaduro]

So what's up with having Stevepole lock up the Crossroads thread in the middle of discussing how to proceed? Isn't that a little counterproductive?

 

 

Also who's for making the Greek-English magic school dictionary I made a standard for terminology in future games of the Dungeoneering style, and hence adding it to one of the stickies?

 

[hide=The dictionary, for those that weren't following the Crossroads thread]Aeromancy - Air/wind magic.

Allomancy - Metal magic.

Biomancy - Flesh/body magic.

Choromancy - Space magic.

Chronomancy - Time magic.

Chryomancy - Ice/frost magic.

Culiomancy - Food magic.

Electromancy - Electricity/field magic.

Fytomancy - Nature/plant magic.

Geomancy - Earth/stone magic.

Necromancy - Death/undeath magic.

Neromancy - Water/tide/current/moisture magic.

Neuromancy - Mind/brain/nerve magic.

Oneiromancy - Dream magic.

Othomancy - Force/push magic.

Photomancy - Light/ilusion magic.

Pyromancy - Fire/heat magic.[/hide]Open for additions and changes. If you can think of a school, but not the Greek name, don't worry, I can handle the translation.

Arbitrary Greek is silly. Use it all you want, but I'm calling my Light Magic 'Light Magic'. Pyromancy and Allomancy sound cool though, and I might use those.

 

In a setting that isn't magic-heavy, likely as not everyone will have their own name for what they do.

 

On another note, I thoroughly support the 2025 setting! Anything Archi wants to do is good enough, but 2025 was fun.

[The_Mather1]

We're not talking about the futuristic game with that, we're talking about Dungeoneering. And the Greek isn't arbitrary, it's an irrefutable fact that any work of fiction that uses English instead of Greek names for schools of magic is pure shit. Just like any doctor that uses for example fear of spiders as a term instead of arachnophobia is a hoax and anyone who says sexual preference for the opposite gender instead of heterosexual is a complete idiot who's either trying to sound smart or is actually dumb enough to not know the term.

[Earth]

The new system sounds good but difficult to comprehend when I'm being attacked by the fluffy kitten I'm giving my Nephew for hias birthday and she's walking all over the keyboard. Argh!

[Retech]

Well given enough support, we can actually go ahead with Dungeoneering.

 

But Mather, how about the doctors that are trying to help their patients understand instead of talking down on them with medical terminology?

[Resistance]

It would make sense to get rid of elemental control which means that you're forced to specialise in a certain elements to get anywhere and means that there's a whole collection of magic-types that are just weaker than the rest. Elemental control could be replaced with the type of control, so conjuration, manipulation, dispelling, animation which would be self-sufficient manipulation, can manipulate with half the power of conjuration except permanent. There would be sub-skills for all of the types of magic, for example being adept at the manipulation of fire.

 

Also, egypt seems a good idea place for a setting.

[Nexaduro]

Whenever I start having faith in the general intelligence of mankind, I like to watch Maury or read Mather's posts.

 

Most uses of '-mancy' don't actually mean anything. The few that do, such as Necromancy, Pyromancy, and Allomancy, refer to ancient methods of divination. I don't know what your deal is, but what you say has no bearing on the laws of the world just because you decide it does.

[Earth]

I agree with Nex on this one, MAther. Just because people go the long winded approach to say something doesn't mean they're stupid..

[Nexaduro]

That is... Actually nothing like what I was saying. But sure, why not...

 

On a separate note, we should all start deciding now which of Archi's settings we like. Just sayin', we've been playing a bunch of fantasy, and it was pretty fun to play 2025 way back when.

[The_Mather1]

Whenever I start having faith in the general intelligence of mankind, I like to watch Maury or read Mather's posts.

 

Most uses of '-mancy' don't actually mean anything. The few that do, such as Necromancy, Pyromancy, and Allomancy, refer to ancient methods of divination. I don't know what your deal is, but what you say has no bearing on the laws of the world just because you decide it does.

You are aware that Oneiromancy, Chronomancy, Geomancy and several of the others are as well, right? And following that form is the logical choice as it is more reasonable to have one set of rules for naming schools of magic than two. 9/17 are ancient forms of divination with a proper Greek name, and hence they (albeit barely) outweigh those that don't have one. Besides what does the lack of origin matter for the rest of them when they can easily and properly be translated?

[Nexaduro]

Whenever I start having faith in the general intelligence of mankind, I like to watch Maury or read Mather's posts.

 

Most uses of '-mancy' don't actually mean anything. The few that do, such as Necromancy, Pyromancy, and Allomancy, refer to ancient methods of divination. I don't know what your deal is, but what you say has no bearing on the laws of the world just because you decide it does.

You are aware that Oneiromancy, Chronomancy, Geomancy and several of the others are as well, right? And following that form is the logical choice as it is more reasonable to have one set of rules for naming schools of magic than two. 9/17 are ancient forms of divination with a proper Greek name, and hence they (albeit barely) outweigh those that don't have one. Besides what does the lack of origin matter for the rest of them when they can easily and properly be translated?

Because they don't sound good. The only reason to use any of that is because it sounds good.

 

The use of Necromancy as a term to refer to the magical raising of the dead in modern fantasy has the same logical roots as Square Enix naming a character Cloud Strife. Someone thought it sounded snappy, even if the meaning is some amount of disparate from the subject (I realize that 'Necro' refers to the dead, so it's not as if it doesn't make sense, I'm just saying the only reason to use it is so you don't have to repeatedly say 'raising the dead'). While this stuck for Necromancy and some other terms with the suffix, it doesn't take long before it starts sounding terribly forced and cliche.

 

This doesn't even address the in-character issue of a universal set of magic terminology. Take any two countries, even a pair of states in America, and they'll probably have their own distinct terms for any number of things. Why should magic be any different? It's not a brand name, and no two individuals use it in quite the same way. The term 'Magic' itself is only the English word.

 

In short, standardization of language is bad. Language doesn't work that way. I have no qualms about you making delicious stew with 'Culiomancy', but don't you be so absurd as to force that on everyone else.

 

(This is all on principle, of course. In my honest objective opinion, Archi should just use _____ Magic so he doesn't have to look up what we're talking about every few minutes. It's not easy being a mod, he even got confused about Soulcrafting last game. :P)

[The_Mather1]

The magics are the manipulation of their elements, not their creation of it (with Pyromancy and Othomancy being exceptions for obvious reasons), so Culiomancy isn't making food, it's using food to do magic, for example by enchanting a sandwich or making a pudding golem.

 

And standardization of language in a game is beyond sensical, seeing as 1. the standardization is primarily for player convenience 2. each game features either one culture, or several cultures that inexplicably speak the exact same language.

 

And you claim they don't sound good? Try saying each both in Greek and English, the Greek names are more fluid because rather than just putting magic after the key word, you modify the prefix with the explicit reason of fitting fluently with the suffix.

[Retech]

I had to read "beyond sensical" to try and get what Mather was saying.

 

The thing is that I don't know Greek and would rather not have to consult a table every time. Could you translate bone magic or void magic?

[Nexaduro]

Here you go:

 

'Bone Magic'

'Void Magic'

[Retech]

*Slow clapping*