FATAL & Friends 2014-15: The Neverending Storygame

The Something Awful Forums > Archives > Comedy Goldmine > The Goodmine > FATAL & Friends 2014-15: The Neverending Storygame

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

A traveling Roman Catholic priest who can, if he tries, tell exactly what your last sin was.

He never ever tries anymore, and is a recovering alcoholic because of what he can do.

# ¿ Jan 13, 2014 07:15

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# ¿ Jan 16, 2026 09:15

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Halloween Jack posted:

_{Hey, sexy mama...wanna kill all humans?}

Soooo... I gather Marvel Comics never saw this?

(Deathlok)

# ¿ Jan 14, 2014 16:08

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

theironjef posted:

One of my all-time favorite things about Rifts was how Simbieda basically just assumed that the only stuff that would survive the apocalypse to get into the hands of TK Wizards was the cool stuff. DeLoreans? Sure, take 'em! P-51 Mustangs? There's about 180 flying ones in the world(a lot in California, which is destroyed), but I'm sure that all of them will survive the end times, why the hell not?

I'd love to tell you that that's why they showed up in the Rifts books... but sadly, it's only because it was easier to copy and paste the equipment section from modern-day Palladium games in there than it was to write up all new items.

# ¿ Jan 14, 2014 20:25

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

I wanna tell you to do both, so do both.

But do BIBLE RPG D20 3.0 FOR YOUR SINS firs.

# ¿ Jan 19, 2014 03:35

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

dwarf74 posted:

That's the eventual plan, unless someone else scoops me on the one I'm not doing. (Really, I'm stunned nobody's done Testament yet. It just screams for an F&F treatment.)

If you guys end up tied, I'll be leaning towards Ehdrigohr because it will be a lot less painful. And I keep meaning to read it, so this is a good kick in the pants.

But don't let that sway you, because I also want to do Testament. It's just so ... d20. I mean, I think the idea of (non-religious) roleplaying in Biblical myths sounds fantastic, but why in the world you'd want to use d20 for it escapes me. And the answer of course was, "It's 2003. Everything is d20, no matter how ill-fitting." Oh, and it uses the Levitical purity laws as a game mechanic, so there's that . Which makes it so very F&F.

If The God Of Abraham has stats I will kill myself laughing.

# ¿ Jan 19, 2014 04:12

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

AmiYumi posted:

_{_{Miniatures were eventually made for Fairy Meat, but at the time of first printing the designers clearly weren't expecting much; the middle section of the book (the one with all the cards and counters and such) has a page of paper paper minis along with a page of paper fairy wings to tape to those Warhammer minis you have laying around, to make them feel pretty.}}

Are there any rules for using gummis as minis? That would seem to be thematically appropriate.

Or Peeps!

Gummis with Peep steeds!

# ¿ Jan 23, 2014 17:55

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

FMguru posted:

It's pretty much the weird wild west magical steampunk setting that Deadlands tried (and tried, and tried, and tried) and failed to be. One of my favorite supplements for any game. So much legendary Americana, crammed into a single book.

I can't imagine how bad Canada ends up being, though.

No RPG in the entirety of history has ever handled Canada well.

# ¿ May 9, 2014 00:31

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Alien Rope Burn posted:

Rifts Sourcebook Three: Mindwerks - Part Three: "Brain damage causes a reduction of the character's I.Q. by half, but instills savant powers!"
[...]

It should be noted how crap the insanity tables are, since stuff like Enhanced Healing can make you into a psychopathic megalomaniac... you know, since you can heal twice as fast. Or Enhanced Speed, which can make you into a sadistic bully... because you can run fast? It doesn't really follow.

[...]

At least they're not using the original insanity tables from their 80s games. :colbert:

# ¿ May 19, 2014 13:01

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Tsilkani posted:

I'm actually wanting to play RIFTS again, despite having played it before. I suspect darkest sorcery on ARB's part.

Please tell me you'll use any other system.

FATE, maybe?

# ¿ May 22, 2014 15:25

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Alien Rope Burn posted:

Whatever system you use, just make sure you run any deific encounters using The Primal Order's Capsystem.

Have I told you lately that I love you?

# ¿ May 22, 2014 15:53

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Hey ARB and ONF - you've been ripped off!

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?717689-Jake-Reads-Rifts
_{(you totally haven't been ripped off)}

# ¿ Jun 17, 2014 19:54

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Alien Rope Burn posted:

_{Also geez get some forums chemo already, yuck.}

_{(Apparently I didn't actually have cancer, somebody just bought me the annoying avatar. No clue why, either.)}

A while ago, I threatened to show off Stuporpowers!, the beeriest and pretzelliest super-RPG ever made. I'm running scans of my physical copy right now, but it's a pain in the rear end. I might just pick up the .pdf and save us all the trouble.

# ¿ Jun 19, 2014 02:40

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Cardiovorax posted:

...Siembieda has no loving clue how balance is even spelled, does he?

He wrote a rant in one of his books about how RPGs should never be balanced. I'll see if I can dig it up.

# ¿ Aug 11, 2014 17:07

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

JohnnyCanuck posted:

He wrote a rant in one of his books about how RPGs should never be balanced. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Here we go! It's from a 2009 interview on this blog:

http://www.rpgblog2.com/2009/07/mega-interview-with-kevin-siembieda.html

quote:

Game balance is ALWAYS a concern and a key aspect of every rule, power, weapon and character. It has to be.

You are right, personally, I do not like the 4e approach. I do not think it is the way to go – at least for me. Everyone is NOT created equal. These attempts at ‘game balance’ with characters that are all pretty equal may sound correct, but all they do is create an illusion of balance and fairness that ultimately creates (in my opinion) dull, boring, “cookie cutter” characters that lack personality and excitement, especially in a “storytelling game.” And role-playing games are all about storytelling and characters. Character who must think and be clever, cunning, make bold and daring moves, take chances, face impossible odds sometimes, and pray for a touch of luck via the roll of the dice. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but making all character fundamentally equal is not game balance. Being able to play a huge, diverse range of characters, in a huge, diverse world (or Megaverse®) is game balance. Having rules that are invisible is game balance. And I’m not just talking about Palladium’s RPGs.

Think about it. If we all played Superman, but with a different name, things would get pretty boring and similar after a couple dozen games. Where’s the challenge, the weaknesses, your chance to shine when brawn and raw power are not the answer, that clever idea that saved the day, that moment of desperateness as you face a foe who can chew you up and spit you out, and the challenge to defeat him one way or the other?

As for the Game Master. Storytelling games like RPG are reliant on the G.M. A great G.M. can make any scenario, setting and adventure, wonderful. A bad G.M. will make the best canned adventure or setting or characters one of the most awful experiences on Earth. It’s the nature of the beast. However, I have NEVER written a game book assuming the G.M. is fantastic. On the contrary, you have to assume the G.M. is fair to good and make sure your game is still playable and fun even if the G.M. is not the best. Of course, the G.M. (and players) gets better the more he or she plays, and as his/her confidence grows. Consequently, when I design a game or sourcebook or adventure, I try to consider how the worst G.M. could wreck it or abuse it. I then try to avoid those pitfalls, provide a complete description and enough meat and ideas so that ANY G.M. with good intentions can run a good, competent and fun game. It’s tricky at times.

What irritates me is that some people don’t seem to realize is that just because you, personally, prefer a particular game system or approach, it does not mean it is the only or best one. The beauty of role-playing games is that it is personal. If it works and you like it, you are good to go. That means there are people who like the 4e approach, or Palladium approach, or Role-Master, or GURPS, or Hero Games, and on and on. And ALL of them are valid, playable, fun game systems. One is not inherently better than another, they are just different, and you may – personally – prefer one over another, but that does NOT mean all the rest are bad, no good, junk, antiquated or anything else, they are just different. That’s one of the things I love about role-playing, it is personal. There are many rules variations. In fact, many gamers have variant house rules in addition to their favorite rules. That also means if there is a rule you don’t like, you can change it. Modify it to your own, personal style of play. Awesome.

# ¿ Aug 12, 2014 02:00

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

I'll give them props for remembering that Canada exists, and giving it 2.5 books worth of material!

Too bad the material is so excruciatingly boring.

# ¿ Aug 12, 2014 12:38

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Mr. Maltose posted:

That Atomic Highway art just makes me sad we'll never have a Zoofights rpg system.

...now I miss Zoofites. Thanks, Maltose. Thanks a bunch.

# ¿ Aug 31, 2014 21:16

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Flavivirus posted:

...sometimes you're putting on mask and terrorising people so they go nowhere near the "haunted" ruins and you save them from the monster.

And under the mask... Why, it's Old Man Wick!

# ¿ Nov 10, 2014 19:16

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

U.T. Raptor posted:

I have no idea if this is supposed to be the implication or not (I think it is?), but I immediately assumed the Gang of Four was founded by the Ninja Turtles.

Also I have no idea why "gatorland" is in... what, the Carolinas, instead of Florida or maybe Louisiana.

Yeah, it's totally the Turtles. Laird even did an AtB strip for one of the books where it showed an elderly Michelangelo accompanying his students on a mission.

# ¿ Nov 21, 2014 16:28

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

EscortMission posted:

Not quite the same thing, but the Rifts novel Palladium released was missing entire chapters. You had to sort of guess at what was going on with this long, rambling fiasco, which to be fair is pretty Rifts in and of itself.

I lost my copy of the third book in Palladium's trilogy in one of my many moves, and I'm kinda sad I can't reread the entire horrible mess as it was initially presented.

# ¿ Jan 2, 2015 23:33

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Rangpur posted:

I think 'trapped in an MMO' would be an interesting setting, but only under the assumption that the characters are aware of it and want to escape. Otherwise it's just begging the question 'why not just play any other generic fantasy RPG?' What I saw of the Log Horizon anime kind of does that, but the RPG mechanics don't seem to support it all that well so far. In the show, revival at the nearest Cathedral actually does carry a cost--you slowly lose your memories of the real world. If you were to run with that, it gives you some wriggle room when it comes to accidentally wiping out the party while still maintaining a certain amount of tension. For example, lose all your memories of the real world and you effectively become an NPC.

In other words, I feel like there are dramatic hooks to sink your teeth into but they all come from interacting with the metagame rather than anything inherent to the in-game setting.

Log Horizon Season 2 Spoilers: There's a guild the heroes meet that have gone bugfuck insane from trying to escape back to the real world. They keep on killing themselves because that's the only way to "see home", as when you die you seem to replay emotional experiences from your life back in The Real World. Unfortunately, dying so much has gutted their memories and caused them to become antagonistic, nihilistic assholes.

# ¿ Mar 16, 2015 19:55

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

hyphz posted:

Sure, it's about the context - the whole idea of a group of people taking a fetish of theirs and designing a kids' game around it, even if they hid it in the process. (I'm told Totally Spies had the same thing going on.)

Derail, but do you have any links on this? My nieces used to watch it and it seemed harmless enough?

# ¿ Mar 17, 2015 23:14

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Hypocrisy posted:

I don't understand Magic Deer. Is this some sort of reference?

You'll understand soon.

Magic Deer is coming.

# ¿ Jul 22, 2015 20:53

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Hey System Mastery guys! I'm trying to grab older episodes, but I keep on running into issues with my podcast client. I found this discussion... does any of this mean anything to you?

https://github.com/AntennaPod/AntennaPod/issues/1259

# ¿ Oct 27, 2015 18:31

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Believe it or not (87% chance to believe), they are!

# ¿ Nov 1, 2015 03:43

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Green Intern posted:

It does not surprise me in the slightest that Siembieda publishes his books like that.

To be fair, they have apparently started using actual desktop publishing software since Bill wrote that.

Possibly out of shame.

# ¿ Nov 5, 2015 13:32

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

The Lone Badger posted:

Firing energy weapons underwater doesn't seem like the best idea.

Oh, they accounted for that! ARB will be getting around to it soon.

# ¿ Nov 16, 2015 04:18

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# ¿ Jan 16, 2026 09:15

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Kurieg posted:

Lasers wouldn't work, and a plasma weapon would probably par boil the firer if it didn't just explode in the barrel.

Pfft. You're not thinking Palladium-y enough. They have an answer!

# ¿ Nov 20, 2015 13:00

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