True 20, RPG Review

There are a quite a few game systems developed from the open gaming license of Dungeons and Dragons. There are advantages for having these different systems. One is the ease of use. Being familiar with one rule set makes it easier to learn the new one. Another is the new game can utilize the system to make it specific to the style of game the variant wants to support.

True 20 Adventure Roleplaying, designed by Steve Kensonand published by Green Ronin Publishing, is a system that was developed because of the desire to support a specific genre, romantic fantasy, and game Blue Rose. However, the systems early popularity brought about a game system, based on the d20 model, which can be used for other genres. This works, in part, because romantic sub-plots are in storylines used in gaming—even adventures where is seems like romance is furthest away. And, True 20 is presented in a manner to help inexperienced players get involved quickly in a role-playing game (RPG).

The basis of the True D20 system is it is centered more on the characters and the stories they are creating instead of the combat. This focus allows it to be easily used for any setting or genre because RPGs are the characters and the stories they are creating. This is not to say the system doesn't support combat, but the style feels more character driven. To see how this works in different settings the book provides information in the back portion of the reading.

Roughly the last 50 pages of the 200-page book presents 4 setting game masters (GMs) (this system calls narrators) can use directly or as guidance to creating their own setting. These great examples show the breadth of settings the system support: Caliphate Nights, Lux Aetuernum, Mecha vs. Kaiju, and Borrowed Time. Each has enough information to get you started, even in the short space they are presented in.

The first three-fourths of the book provide information for players and GMs. The base rules have been slimmed down to create a system that is easy to step into and use. Some points requiring conversions in the parent system are removed. An example of this are the character's abilities. Instead of creating a score within a certain range and then determining the adjustment that score gives, the scores are listed as the adjustment. An average score is 0 (zero) and can start from -5 to +5. No conversion is needed to apply the ability.

Character classes, which they call roles, are another example of streamlining being done to make the system applicable to any genre. True 20 has 3 roles: adept, warrior, and specialist. Adepts are characters who have supernatural powers (spells). Warriors are experts in fighting. And, specialists cover characters who are experts in a skill set other than something supernatural or fighting. This method of characters works well. Skills and feats are tweaked to fit the system's roles.

Skills and feats are presented in an easy to read and understand format. Examples of common uses of skills is provided in a table format for quick reference. Feats are presented for general use and for each of the roles. Any character can gain a general feat, but only characters of the named role can gain feats in the specific list. Players can create characters of multiple roles giving them a broader base of skills and feats, but lose some of the higher specialization. This is something players of d20 systems have come to expect and understand.

Along with character creation section, there is information for a narrator to create and run a game. Again, the system has the feel of being designed for newer GMs, but if you are experienced don't let that make you feel it is overly simple.

In playing RPGs for many years, I have found most players like playing in different genres. In earlier games, it was always about learning a new system. With a game system like True 20 the ability to move from one genre to another is easier. No one at the table must learn a new system. You don't even have to learn what the new classes are. Just get your group together, decide the setting, create your characters, and start a story.

Rewritten from original article published by Utah Geek Magazine.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Dark Web, Game Review

Getting the goods on the company, that is the goal. It's not the easiest task to do since companies are upping their security in this decade of the 1990s—getting prepared for Y2K. But you have the skill to get through the security, get the data, get out, and not get caught. You sit down at your computer and start making the connections to attack the firewall.

Dark Web is a card game of computer hacking set in the 1990s. The goal is for the hackers to get into the system and extract incriminating files on the company and get out without getting locked out. The twist in Dark Web is one of the players may be working for Corporate IT.

At the start of the game the players are randomly assigned a role of either a hacker or corporate IT. There can only be one company employee, but there isn't always going to be one. You know your role, but you don't know the roles of anyone else, for certain. There is always one extra role card that is not looked at when the roles are assigned. It is not until the end of the game, when it is time to score the game, which all the players find out if there was an IT employee in the game.

Dark Web is played in four rounds. Rounds have two phases. The first phase is to play a script. Scripts allow actions to be taken by the player. Some of them allow you to manipulate your hand by moving cards around with other players, others allow you to manipulate the draw pile. After playing scripts, you have a choice for the second phase.

The next phase is a decision to log out and save the data you have in your hand, or to draw a card. When you decide to save, you stop playing for the rest of the round. This can be advantageous if you are at a point of having data to score and it looks like the system may get locked down. Drawing can give you data, scripts, virus, or a lock. Locks are turned over when drawn and when five locks get turned over the system gets shut down. All the players who are still in the server are locked out and the data they have been collecting in their hand is discarded.

After four rounds scoring takes place and is based on the amount of data players have extracted. There is some strategy on how to decide to save your data. There are four types of data and you need to have more than one of the data type for it to score. Viruses lower the score for each one saved. Only the hackers score their data points. If there is an IT player in the game anything they have stored does not count. Again, this can be part of the strategy to lock out data from the hackers if they have a loaded hand.

The hackers total their scores to determine if they won. If they get a high enough score, they have overcome the system security and win. If their combined score is not enough, then the player working corporate IT or the game wins.

Dark Web was easy to learn and to get playing quickly. It is designed for ages 10+, which I think is because of the theme of breaking into a computer system. The strategy of the game, along with it written in the rules that you can do table talk (but don't have to tell the truth) would allow younger player with some gaming experience to join in. The cards use pictures instead of text so actions, once learned, are easily recognized.

Playing multiple games in a row reminded me of other card games. There is some variation in the hand you get and determining if there is an IT player. An advantage to this is the quick play. Although listed at being 30 minutes, games weren't taking that long. Dark Web is good to have on hand as a filler game while waiting because of its size.

Dark Web makes a good cabin game. It consists of a deck of 128, which can fit into a pocket or corner of a suitcase.

Overall Spider, Goat Games has another solid game.

You're working your keyboard as the data files are copying. You can tell someone is working the security as the firewall is closing the data access points. The files finish transferring as the system locks. You made it. You know you didn't get enough to stop the company. You bring up your notes from your fellow conspirators about other access points into the system and get ready to take another dive into the company's computer system.

Dark Web is designed and distributed by Spider Goat Games for 3–6 players ages 10+. A game is expected to take 30 minutes.

Thanks to Spider Goat Games for the opportunity of playing their game.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Wargaming the Barbarian Kingdoms (6th and 7th century) - Part 2, Visigoths

Visigoths - originally, as Feoderati under the Romans, they established area of rule in Gaul and Spain. The early (but exciting) campaigns of Alaric I predate the period considered here.  In 507, however, the Franks, under Clovis I beat the Goths (under Alaric II) at the Battle of Vouille  Visigoth rule in Gaul was at an end, but the Frank's were established as a kingdom that would give us Charlemagne, France, Germany, and a lot of different kinds of cheese.

The Visigoths, however, survived the loss of Gaul.  They had a kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain, or Hispania).  There, they survived (and in harmony with the rest of Christendom after converting from Arianism in 589) until being overrun by the Moors (Berbers and Arabs up from North Africa) in about the year 711 or 712 (the Mozarbic Chronicle of 741, written in Latin, is unclear).  That was the Battle of Guadalete between King Roderic of the Goths, and Tariq ibn Ziyad.

Battle of Guadalete

So, for about two hundred years, there was a gothic kingdom in Spain. It gave us a lot of interesting Gothic architecture and early cathedrals, but not a lot of details on military practices.

Tariq Ibn Ziyad

Looking at what wargames have to offer on the Western Goths is interesting.  Again, turning to the original DBA list (as a conceptual distillation of the 1982 WRG army lists, and benefitting from eight years of further research and debate) we see that there is an infantry core of five elements. These can be either spear, or warband, or a mix of warband and auxilia - depending on which allies or sources you prefer. But that establishes a solid infantry battle line, supported by two units of skirmishers (Psiloi), and finally a solid mounted contingent of four units of four Cavalry units, and a Knight (general) unit.  

King Roderic

This could easily represent the army of Roderic, at the battle of Guadalete.  There, his solid infantry line was a match for the Moors, but he lost because his right cavalry wing under a disgruntled commander abandoned the field allowing the numerous, but lighter, Moorish cavalry to flank the infantry line.  Legend replaces the commander with Count Julian, who turned traitor because his daughter was raped at Roderic's court, but this (while a great medieval narrative) is unsubstantiated.

Visigothic Warriors - from a later English sculpting method.

Refighting Guadalete as a decisive battle that ended Christian rule in western Spain, until the Reconquista, is a worthy war gaming goal, but the lack of other major foes makes the prospect of building a large Visigothic army seem like a futile enterprise.  It is, however, a great example of a balanced army from the Barbarian Kingdoms era.  There are, of course, lots of Possible match ups against sixth century foes, such as Byzantines, Ostrogoths, or even early Andalusians from the other parts of Spain.

For figures, standard dark age infantry (metal conic helms, round shields, and either sword, spear, or bow) make the battle line and Psiloi easy to model. Likewise, the cavalry (cloaks, metal helms, round shields) are readily available. The older Minifigs heavy barbarian horse and heavy barbarian infantry are nearly perfect, as well as many modern manufacturers.

A nice set of pictures of a painted army is here.

is here.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Realm Warfare, Game Review

Chess is one of the original games of strategy. Two sides facing off against each other on a limited battlefield. Each piece has set abilities on how to move and how to capture enemy pieces. For some Chessis one of the, if not the only game, they play. There are those who see it as a purest game, and others who see it as a starting point.

Realm Warfaretakes Chess as the starting point. The basics have been taken and expanded to include additional players and features, allowing for new strategies.

A friend and I sat down and play a game of Realm Warfare with the developer, Kerry Murdock, at Salt Lake Gaming Conthis year (2017). We played the base game and by knowing the basics of Chess we started quickly get started into a game after a brief description of some of he added rules.

There are a couple of new pieces. The new pieces and their moves were easy to learn. These pieces were added to the board to be able to provide a balanced layout to the board design.

There are ranged attacks and hit points. Pieces can attack from a distance along with capturing by a standard Chess move. The distance attack is an automatic hit. Then the defending piece makes a d6 roll to defend. Roll above your defense and you take no damage to the piece. Some pieces can take more than one hit from a range based attack and you mark the piece with a hit marker to show the piece is injured, and by how many points. Injury doesn't change the capabilities of the piece until it has sustained enough damage to take it out of the game. However, the piece can heal.

At Salt Lake Gaming Con

After taking damage, that doesn't remove a piece, the player can opt to move the piece to one of the hunting locations on the board. Hunting allows the player to regain lost points for the piece on a successful d6 roll. This can allow a player to keep a piece in the game longer.

Each of the four colored kings have a special ability. This might be the way they deal damage or in the way they defend. This is means each player has a different personality with the army they choose to play. It also means you need to understand that your king's ability is different than your opponent's king and defend accordingly.

Realm Warfareinvolved taking the known of Chessand applying it to the unknown of the variants added. In playing only one game, I am sure I didn't get the full experience of what the game provides. This is partly because there are more options than a Chess player is used to, and, each color has a unique ability which makes the strategy for that color different. You need to take the abilities of the king into consideration.

Even with all this involving strategy, dice have been introduced. The use of a randomizer to determine if your piece takes damage can come into play in ways you might not be expecting. In our game, I moved my king out to use his ability, which was going well. I had strong defenses, which I was counting on. However, when I was attacked I rolled a one on the die and lost my king and removed me from the game.

For a person who enjoys only pure strategy games like Chess and Go, the addition of the dice isn't something they will appreciate. For those who are looking for something to expand the options of their game's strategy the addition of multiple players, range attacks, defense capabilities, and special powers, may be what you are looking for.

Getting ready to start a three player game

Along with the base game Realm Warfare also has an expansion taking it to an eight-player game.

Realm Warfare (link to website) (link to Facebook) was developed by Kerry Murdock and self-distributed for 2–4 players, ages 12+. A game is expected to take about an hour. In our conversation it was noted the time frame is very dependent on the players, however, the variants usually lead to quicker games.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Planet Mercenary, RPG Review

If you are a fan of Schlock Mercenary by Howard Tayler, you can stop reading and go buy Planet Mercenary. The answer is, "Yes, it does the comic justice." For others, here is a science fiction role-playing game (RPG) based on a long running web comic that captures the fun people expect from reading about a group of space-based, future mercenaries.

Howard Tayler, Sandra Tayler, and Alan Bahr to capture the universe of Schlock Mercenary. Instead of me trying to tell you what this universe is like, go on-line and read through some of the history the mercenary company has gone through. (Here's a link to check it out.)

The Book

I reviewed Planet Mercenaryin PDF. I cannot address the binding or page print, but I can tell you about what I found.

The layout of the book made it easy to read and to find information. Clear references are provided if you have to go to another page, which made looking something up fast. The equipment sections are grouped nicely so I wasn't flipping back and forth trying figure out what I was needing.

The artwork was fun and precise (of course, when you have the game based on a comic and the artist is involved in the production). The placement of the art helped explain what was in the text.

There are a couple levels of text that demonstrate what this game is about. Throughout Planet Mercenary, you are reminded playing this RPG, and any RPG, is about having fun. Everyone is there to create an experience that everyone there is going to enjoy. Even when you are in sections that are loaded with information, they are presented in a lighter manner with ways of showing how to keep the experience of game play lighter and well-paced.

The second layer of text demonstrates this is a game for fun storytelling and the authors had fun putting it together (I'm sure they worked hard because I read their acknowledgements). Throughout the book there is a secondary story being told in the sidebars. It starts in the introduction where the CEO of the company Planet Mercenary makes a comment in the sidebar about what is in the text. This is followed by comments from others—and that sets the tone. The side bar comments tell a story all their own. At one point, I stopped and read just the comments from beginning to end because in those comments a story is presented that highlights how the game should really be considered, and played.

The front half of the book helps get the players started while the back is for the Game Chief (GC) to have information for running a game. This includes information about significant places, people, and events that can be used for adventure hooks. The information is provided in the same fun format making it something you can enjoy reading without it being just a travelogue.

Characters and Mercenary Companies

Some of the art

Planet Mercenaryis designed to be played in a campaign setting. Each player starts with a main character who is part of the team of officers of a mercenary company. This means the players need to start out working together to determine who is going to take on the distinct roles (not everyone can be the captain, then again, not everyone wants to be the captain). There are many races to choose from and there is good balance between them so the role-playing aspects of the characters can come to the forefront during play.

Along with creating a character, the players can create their company. Of course, it could be built by the GC and given to the players, but it is recommended that the players combine their creative talents. Part of the company is the ship, which has an artificial intelligence (AI), which will be played as a player character and non-player character. This is done by shared play during things like space combat by the players, or by the GC when the action is slow and if being done by a player they would probably be surfing the internet in this era, instead of participating in the future.

After the creating the characters and the company the players need to equip. This isn't done by giving each player an amount of money to buy guns, ammo, etc. Players are making a company and because of that many items have to be shared (that is party how they have a ship). There will also be some characters that need to have supplies for the company, because no one want the medic to say, "Sorry, I'm out of bandages." The monetary system is broken into resources and supplies. Resources are there to be able to gain larger items and to convert into supplies. Supplies are what are used for gaining the smaller items everyone needs. This system works well without having to have a player be the company bookkeeper who spends game night on a calculator and spreadsheet.

Game Mechanics

Dice and Mayhem

A couple of Mayhem Cards

The base mechanic is using 3d6 when determining success or failure when needed. Simply put, roll 3d6 and add to the character's modifier, the bigger the better. The mechanic is elegant in simplicity with the added element of adding mayhem to the event.

When dice are rolled to determine success or failure a side effect may be mayhem. One of the three dice rolled is marked in some way to make it different than the other two—the mayhem die. When the roll results in a success and the mayhem die is greater than either of the other two dice, a Mayhem Card is draw. Mayhem isn't always undesirable. They are designed to add additional color and consideration to the role-playing taking place at the table. These unexpected events may alter how events are unfolding in the moment, or later, depending on the card. Additionally, they may not occur at all if a player decides to spend a Role-Playing Point (RiPP).

RiPPs are used by players to make minor adjustments during game play. They don't always work, because the GC may decide the event is important enough, or fun enough to have happen. But, the players can try.

Initiative and Playing the AI

Planet Mercenary favors the mercenary with quick thoughts. Many games have initiative diced by a die roll, or the quickness of the character. In Planet Mercenary, initiative is won by the bold player. The first person to speak up with an action is the first to go in the round.

After the first player takes their action the next action is determined in the same fashion. After all the players have gone then the GC determines the actions of the forces under their control.

It sounds confusing. And, in minor ways it is. And, it plays up to the setting of the game to create the level of uncertainty during the battles taking place, or even the activities happening between battles.

Ship to ship battles are handled by the AI. At this point in the game the players take on the role of the AI in the battle. Initiative is the same. The difference is the players take actions as though they are the AI running the ship.

This initiative system and group play of the NPC AI leads to some interesting role-playing.

Fireteams and Grunts

More art

Mercenaries get killed. And, as pointed out by the comments in the sidebar this can be funny. However, players don't like characters dying if that means they miss out on playing.

Each player is a command officer. Officers need to command somebody. So, each officer commands a fireteam of three. These are specialists chosen from the number of grunts the company is employing. They have some extra abilities that complement the officer they work with (this is chosen by the player creating the officer). In the event of a character death, a fireteam member may get a field promotion.

For players, this means they have backup, partially created characters—no one sits out the rest of the night, or take on the role of the company bookkeeper.

There are more nameless grunts also in the fight. A player who loses a fireteam member, through promotion of death, is able to replace the fallen, or risen, member from the collection of grunts.

Overall

Planet Mercenarywas a fun book to read and a fun game to play.

The longest point we had was the creation of the company as players decided how to apply their resources and supplies.

Mechanics of the game were easily learned and easy to follow. The Mayhem Cards provide a sense of the unknown, both dread and hope.

For those who don't know about the comic, I think there will be new fans.

Thanks to Hypernode Press for the opportunity of reading and reviewing Planet Mercenary.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Dunkirk, Movie Review

The evacuation of hundreds of thousands of men from Dunkirk during World War II was a heroic undertaking by the British civilians. It was a harrowing experience for the men who were trapped on the beach. Being able to portray the events is an undertaking that requires a balance of showing the gamut of emotions involved for all those who were there.

Dunkirk, written and directed by Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception, The Martian), succeeded.

The events are told from three different perspectives, one from the beach, one from the water, and one from the air. The three stories intertwine around a set of events to tell a greater story. The audience eventually sees the main events that tie the stories together from different points of view. Because the set points tie the stories together at the end there is a little bit of time-jumping when the story goes from what has been happening on the beach over the previous day to what is happening on the day of the evacuation.

Dunkirk plunges you into the story without the now traditional scrolling of titles of who made or is it. This sets the emotion from the beginning. This is not an action-packed movie. Here you have the steady build in tension. It builds and then there is a minor release of pressure and then back into building the tension of the situation. When you get to the end of the movie the release of the tension in the film is reflected by the audience. The build in tension was almost overwhelming at times. The points where you can catch your breath are short.

Recently the trend has been to show the gore of war. The direction in Dunkirk is towards the emotional impact and the horrors of war are not portrayed by showing the splattering of men, but by the weight on their spirits. This doesn't mean death is not shown, it is about WWII. The randomness and confusion of war is shown throughout. The audience is drawn in by the connection on the emotional level to the characters.

The acting, directing, editing in Dunkirk were outstanding in developing the emotion. There is little dialogue, but the expressions and scene development tell the story in a stronger way. Expressions captured tell more in the scenes than the words spoken. At a few points, there was enough background noise, from the war, that made dialogue hard to hear.

Overall, I expect to see Dunkirk recognized when the award ceremonies roll around. This is not a movie I would take younger viewers because of the subject matter, and sudden explosions. The film brings the feeling of being there, in the situation with the men on the beach, and not just watching it from the comfort of a seat.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The Dark City, Hork: Political Power Structure

Orc King by Mananedo on Deviant Art

As a city ran by orcs, Hork is a place where leadership is based on strength and power. The Black Fang tribe has been able to maintain the controlling seat, but a large portion of that is because the clan has also been able to establish strong ties with the main temple and its ruling priests.

There are three main power based in the city of Hork. The tribes are the first level of political power by maintaining the most visible source of physical strength. The temples and priests are next. They demonstrate some of the same traits as the tribal leaders, but also maintain a level of under-current manipulation of politics because they can stir the hearts of the common orc. The last is the combined strength of the thieves' and assassins' guilds (or are they one), which have more control of what happens when a distraction draws the citizens of the city to look the other way.

The Tribes

There are seven major tribes of orcs in the city, and many smaller ones. The tribal structure is considered to be the main social structure, even though there are a number of other influences. Each of the seven major tribes has their king sitting on the Kings' council. Calling it a council is a loose term. The main authority is still in the hands of the Greater King, who, since the founding of the city, has been the leader of the Black Fangs.

An ever shifting balance is maintained between the Greater King and the Lesser Kings. The balance is almost always in a position of falling. But, it is maintained by a system of gifts, bribes, assassinations, alliances, and whatever else the different kings can use to advance their personal or tribal cause.

Alliances between tribes exist, and, like the rest of the politics, always in flux. Orcs are usually not subtle and maintain a level of order through many shows of force and intimidation. And, even though they are not as good at ruling by intrigue like other races, there are individuals who are capable practitioners. Each tribe, and many other organizations, maintain their own standing forces to use in protecting their interests. Many times, the only thing keeping full scale battles erupting in the tunnels of the city is the knowledge of retaliation.

The Temples

Orc Cleric by Ogurec-Ubica on Deviant Art

The orc priesthoods in the city are another potent force that allows some coherence between the tribes. The priests are from different tribes and are bound by their oaths to the temple they serve. The smaller tribes are overly represented in the priesthood (along as in many of the guilds), because of the additional protection the membership gives.

Like the tribal leaders, orc priests work to protect the interest of their chosen temple and deity. The conflict between the temples is not as open, but just as active. The orc Gods enjoy war and a show of strength and are known to reward those who demonstrate their worship in such a manner. Thus, small battles between the temples are more common than the tribes. It really is not uncommon for a lesser priest to go on an errand in the city and not return.

The clergy have continued to develop their ability to influence the kings as the voices of the Gods. Priests who are members of the stronger tribes can bend the ears more easily. But, even those from the lesser tribes eventually have some influence because the strength of the temple can provide enough influence in arms and followers to make a point in a council meeting.

The Guilds

Orc Assassin by Benedickbana on Deviant Art

Throughout Hork there are many guilds to help the lesser citizens gain some protection through association. The different trade guilds look after their own, and members who become skilled at what they do are found to be worthy of protection from other more powerful patrons. Each guild works at making their members valuable to the ruling classes and the strong individual citizens.

Two guilds, the thieves and assassins, have developed a place in the fringe of the workings of the other elements of power by being able to provide their particular brand of influence. They have never been seen openly as promoting a political agenda. The leadership is always cautious of maintaining a certain type of neutrality. So, when power is shifting the guilds can take advantage of the situation without losing their station.

Those in power in the city need to be prepared for the challenges their positions gain them. Each maintains their strength on different levels and ways. The level of intrigue in what other cities would call the royal court might not seem subtle to an outside observer. But there is also political intrigue taking place in other parts of the city: the markets, homes, back halls, and dark corners.

Along with the main political power sources there are individuals who exercise their will. The ebb and flow of strength shifts constantly and only those participating in the taking or power watch closely to maintain their positions.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad